


This is Where You Left Me

by SageMcMae



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, This Is Where I Leave You (2014)
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Childhood Friends, Childhood Sweethearts, F/M, Maple-us Interruptus, Misunderstandings Cause Heartbreak, Mutual Pining, Phillip is a Man Whore, Rating will change, Reylo - Freeform, Slow Burn, The Altman Clan is as crazy as ever, The First Cut is the Deepest, You Never Forget Your First Love, but there's a reason for that
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-25
Updated: 2018-10-25
Packaged: 2019-07-01 17:01:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 36,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15778305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SageMcMae/pseuds/SageMcMae
Summary: Phillip Altman has always been the screw-up -- the younger brother who everyone else had to take care of. So when his brother Judd asks him to be best man at his wedding, Phillip is ready to take on the responsibility, even if Judd and Penny's one rule seems a bit extreme: No sleeping with the bridesmaids, especially the maid of honor.Then she walks in and suddenly he wishes he never agreed to be the best man."Rey?"She flashes a grin at him, smiling like sunshine and summer in that magical way of hers. "Phillip. It's been a long time."





	1. Terms & Conditions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Four years after the events of 'This is Where I Leave You' the Altman family comes together to celebrate the impending marriage of Judd and Penny. But for Phillip Altman, his entire world is about to change thanks to Penny's maid of honor...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first attempt at a crossover fic. It is devoted Reylo (though in this universe Kylo/Ben is Phillip Altman) and will be a multi-chapter fic, though I'm still figuring out how many chapters. Enjoy!

 

“I’m getting married.”

  


Phillip Altman blinked at his brother. When Judd had called him and asked if he and Paul could meet for a drink at Walker’s, Phillip knew something was up. 

 

But he hadn’t been expecting this. 

  


No, scratch that. He had been expecting it, just not so soon.

  


Granted, Judd and Penny had been together for the better part of four years, but they had taken things slow due to the birth of Judd’s daughter, Maple. 

  


Phillip assumed they would get married eventually. There wasn’t any need to rush. Penny and Judd had moved into a house in Bay Shore together. Penny continued to work at Spencer’s Skating rink, while Judd had gotten a job as the Station Manager at WBZO “Max FM”. 

  


Judd had Maple every other week, once Quinn had accepted she wasn’t going to get Judd back. Penny had accepted the little girl with open arms. Maple had grown up with both Quinn and Penny in her life. She didn’t think it odd she had her mom and Penny. She just went along with it. Judd and Penny had the perfect life. Phillip was struggling to understand why they needed to get married. 

  


“I want to make it official,” Judd answered, as if sensing his thoughts. “And Penny wants a wedding.”

  


“Mazel tov,” Paul raised his shot glass, before downing the liquor inside. 

  


“And to you,” Judd grinned back at the eldest Altman sibling. “I heard Annie’s pregnant. Again.”

  


The table of four cheered and downed another round of shots. 

  


In the past four years, Paul and Annie had welcomed two little boys and a third baby was on the way. This one was a girl and Paul couldn’t be happier. Annie had become a stay at home mom, so she could raise their growing family. Because of this, Paul was the first person out the door at the end of the day. In a way, it worked in Phillip’s favor. Paul actually started to rely on him to run the day-to-day operations at the Altman’s Sporting Goods. 

  


“Don’t forget little sis,” Paul teased, nudging Wendy, who picked up another shot. “She finally did the right thing and left that loser, Barry!”

  


Phillip glanced over at his sister, the sibling he was closest to. She was grinning ear to ear but he saw the flicker of shame in her eyes. Wendy was still coming to terms with finalizing her divorce. It had been no small feat, with two young kids and her cross-country move, but about six months ago she had reached her breaking point. 

  


The night she had called Phillip to come pick them all up from the airport, he had jumped in his car without a second thought. At the time, he had found it odd Wendy would need him. She typically wanted to do things all on her own, but when he arrived to see her in near tears, as she held Cole’s hand and Aleah’s hand, he understood.  

 

Wendy had lived with him and their mother at the family house for a couple of months, until she Linda had suggested she and the kids move in with Horry. Linda’s son had been good with the kids the entire time Wendy had been back in Munsey Park. It wasn’t a surprise to anyone, when Wendy took Linda up on the offer.  


 

While Hilary and Linda had been overjoyed to have two rug-rats running around the house. Phillip had despised it. As much as he loved his sister, he couldn’t abide by her kids. It altered his routine. Kids woke up early. They were loud and sticky and came into his room unannounced. They were like little goblins, crawling all over everything but not capable of taking care of themselves. They were a chore.

  


But he dealt with them, because he loved his sister — she had raised him — and he owed her. 

 

Apparently none of this mattered to Horry, who was all to happy to dote on each child, suffering through their Cole’s incessant questions and Aleah’s crying fits. Phillip understood why Wendy had loved him so deeply. Horry was a saint. 

  


“Can I get you another round?” the Walker’s waitress asked the table.  

 

The Altman siblings had more shots and Phillip realized he was the only one with no reason to celebrate. He had no milestones to memorialize like his brothers and sister. 

  


Since his father’s funeral his life had taken a dramatic turn. He had moved in with his mother and started working full-time with Paul. After Tracy had left him, it had taken several months — and many bribes — for her to continue seeing him as a patient, but she was the best. 

  


Over the past three years he had made progress. The first year, Tracy had insisted on celibacy. It was a foreign concept for him, but once he had hit the one year mark, she challenged him to keep it up until he felt an actual connection to another person — not just a need to get his dick wet. 

 

It was painful, though not as painful as when Tracy forced him to face the reason why he used sex as an escape. That had been an extremely long conversation and one he never wanted to revisit again, except that was exactly what Tracy made him do. 

 

And the more he talked about it, the more he came to terms with why it had become his go to mechanism for dealing with things — disappointment, stress and misery. The sooner he recognized it, the sooner he was able to confront it. From that point on, managing his addiction became the main goal in his sessions with Tracy. 

  


Which was how he ended up here, sitting at Walker’s with his sibling while they all talked about how they had moved on with their lives and he was single, living with his mother and working at his dad’s old shop. 

  


Not exactly where he thought he’d be at thirty. 

  


He had no house, no girlfriend and — thanks to his brother, Judd — no Porsche. 

  


On the upside, things couldn’t get any worse. 

  


Until they did.

  


All three of his siblings had way too much to drink to drive home. Wendy insisted Phillip do the honors, since he was being the responsible one (for a change). 

  


He dropped Paul off first, then Wendy, then Judd. As he walked his brother to the front door of his house, Judd grabbed hold of both of Phillip’s shoulders, swaying as he did.

  


“I want you to be my best man.”

  


“You’re drunk,” Phillip shook his head. Paul had been Judd’s best man at his wedding to Quinn. Then again, Paul could be a real douche and that marriage had epically failed. Maybe Phillip was a better choice than Paul…for once. 

  


Judd pointed a finger at his younger brother’s face. “Yes, but I still want you to be my best man. I already talked to Penny about it.”

  


_Shit._ He was serious. 

  


“Well, what do I gotta do?” Phillip asked, turning Judd around and guiding him towards his house. He could just imagine the look on his older brother’s face when Judd told him who he had selected as the best man this time around. 

 

Oh-ho-ho, it was going to be delicious!

  


“You are my side, dude,” Judd slurred. 

  


Oh yeah, Judd was definitely gone. 

  


“On your side?” Phillip snorted. “What does that even mean?”  

 

He pretended he didn’t remember the conversation he had had with his brother back at temple. Phillip had told him he was on Judd’s side and he had meant it. His relationship with Paul had always been strained. His relationship with Wendy had always been a power struggle, since she had been a mother-figure to him, but his relationship with Judd had been more like a friend than a brother.  

 

Not that he’d ever admit it to anyone. 

  


“You support me. You show up to all the events we have to have. You plan the bachelor party and you hold the rings.” Judd made a thumbs up sign, which then turned into an ‘okay’ gesture. “Easy peasy.”

  


_Jesus._

  


“Alright, Judd, alright,” Phillip agreed, patting him on the back. “I’ll do it.”

  


“You will!” Judd spun around so fast, he nearly toppled over. Phillip caught him before he fell into the front door. “You’re the best baby brother ever!” Judd hugged him.

  


“Right,” Phillip rolled his eyes as he returned the hug. 

  


In all likelihood Judd would forget all about this conversation tomorrow and Phillip be off the hook. 

  


 

* * *

 

  
But Judd remembered.

  


He called the next day at an ungodly hour — 7am — to run through the wedding timeline with Phillip.

  


“Why aren’t you up yet?”

  


“We don’t open ‘til 8,” Phillip groaned.

  


“Whatever,” Judd grumbled. “Listen do you need me to write down the times and dates for all the parties?”

  


“What else is there besides the bachelor party?”

  


“We’re having our engagement party this weekend at the house. We didn’t want anything big so we’re having it in the backyard. Just family and close friends,” Judd explained. 

  


“So what do you need from me?” Phillip asked, sitting up and grabbing his iPad to begin typing up a list.

  


Once his brother had given him a full run-down, Phillip wished Paul would have been chosen as the best man instead. Who knew there was so much to do for a wedding? 

  


Phillip was never going to get married. Nope. There wasn’t a single woman alive worth all this trouble.  

 

_There is one woman_ , his traitorous brain supplied. He shut that thought down as quickly as it had surfaced. 

  


“Oh, and buddy,” Judd’s voice took on a peculiar tone, “there’s one last thing.”

  


“Yeah?”

  


“Penny told me you could be my best man only if you promise not to sleep with any of the bridesmaids,” Judd informed him, “especially the maid of honor.”

  


“Yeah, yeah, fine whatever,” he replied. 

  


Phillip hadn’t spoken about his voluntary vow of celibacy to anyone other than Tracy. If his family knew they would hound him for it. According to Wendy, he was a man whore. Even if it was a fact that he hadn’t slept with a single woman since Tracy, they would never believe him. 

  


“I’m serious, Phillip,” Judd took on a rather serious tone, one Phillip hadn’t heard in a while. “You leave her alone.”

  


“What is the maid of honor Penny’s sister or something?”

  


“Her best friend,” Judd corrected, “but she means the world to Penny, so just...be nice, please.” 

  


There was something off about how Judd had asked him to leave the unnamed girl alone — something almost protective. Phillip wrote it off as Judd being loyal to Penny and nothing more. 

  


“I’ll be a _fucking_ gentleman, alright? Jeez!”

  


“That’s all I ask,” Judd told him. 

  


* * *

 

Despite the fact the engagement party was at Judd and Penny’s home, Phillip’s mother and Linda insisted on being there early to set-up. Phillip let them go, taking advantage of the extra couple of hours of uninterrupted sleep, since he was forced to take the day off from the store. 

  


Around noon, he rolled out of bed, padding barefoot into the bathroom to shower and get ready for the event. All week he had been mulling over the changes in his siblings’ lives. It had forced him to take stock of his own life, which felt rather pathetic in comparison. 

  


He would never admit it out loud (to anyone other than Tracy) but he was jealous of all of them. Once again, they had all gone off and done their own thing, leaving him behind. Always the baby, people assumed he needed coddling and — for the most part — he had. 

  


Phillip wasn’t proud of how he had acted. He was quick to anger, quicker to give up and ultimately not one to put in more than the minimum effort. Tracy said it was due to how he had grown up. 

  


Everyone had always done everything for him and when he messed up, they just shrugged and accepted it, until what was cute for a kid became annoying for a teenager and then embarrassing for an adult. Then suddenly, everyone was blaming him and Phillip had no idea how to handle real life. 

  


Of course, his family wasn’t completely at fault. Phillip recognized the fact he had used them all as a crutch. When he had gone off to Washington, DC, he had hoped it would be different there. 

  


For a while, it had. 

  


Phillip had attended Georgetown University for Business and Management, intending to return home and take over the family business. He wanted to prove everyone wrong about him. With a degree under his belt, he had planned on increasing sales at the sporting goods store. It would make his family proud. It would make his father proud.

  


But one thing led to another. He repeated the same mistakes he had made at home. Falling into bed with the latest sorority hottie became all too easy and was preferable to waking up for his morning classes. 

  


His grades took a nose dive and he was forced to stay on an extra year to finish his degree. By the time he did, Paul had taken over the store and it was clear Phillip needed a new dream. 

  


So he had stayed in Washington, working his way around — both jobs and women. He floated aimlessly about attempting to find somewhere to belong, somewhere he could make a difference.

  


When his father had been diagnosed with cancer, he couldn’t deal on his own. He refused to go running home with his tail between his legs. It was what had led him to therapy and to Tracy. The rest was history. 

  


Tracy leaving him had been a turning point for him, regardless of what his family believed. Judd’s wedding was a chance to finally prove that. 

  


He was going to do right by his brother. He was not going to fuck this up. That wasn’t who Phillip Altman was anymore. He was better than the family screw up. He could be better than that. 

  


Phillip put on a suit, taking extra care to comb through his hair, which had grown longer in the past few months. 

  


With Paul taking a less active role at the store, Phillip had been focused on operations and even started watching their costs more closely. He hadn’t had time to get his hair cut. Then Wendy had told him it was a good look and he had decided he’d keep it, along with his facial hair. 

  


Phillip had always been aware of his appearance. When he was younger he had been tall and gangly. Like a Great Dane puppy, it had taken him time to grow into his limbs and his ears. Jesus, he hated his ears. One good thing about his longer hair was that it covered them. 

  


In the past few years, he had worked on seeing the value in his actions versus his appearance. He had made progress, but he still worried about how he looked. Today, however, was an occasion to dress up and put on his best. He could be a bit vain, since the occasion called for it.

  


He caught a ride with Wendy, Horry, and the kids. After Judd had taken his Porsche, Phillip hadn’t had the money for a new car. In time he had purchased a motorcycle, but it wasn’t appropriate for making the drive to the engagement party.

  


“You look nice,” Wendy commented, as she and Horry loaded the kids into their car seats. 

  


“You do too,” he replied, noting how Wendy and Horry matched. He wasn’t sure if it was intentional or not, but he made a mental note to tease her about it later. 

  


The drive over was uneventful. Cole and Aleah watched Mickey Mouse on the mini-van’s screen with their headphones on, while the adults chatted about the upcoming wedding. 

  


As soon as Wendy pulled in, Phillip was off, rushing into the house to find his brother. He was eager to see him and if Paul happened to be there when Judd greeted ‘his best man’ then it was just the icing on the cake.

  


“Phillip!” He whirled around, spotting Penny as she came down off the patio into the back yard. “You made it,” she greeted him with a hug. 

  


“Of course,” he told her, hugging her back, “I wouldn’t miss this.”

  


“Thanks,” Penny replied, but there was a wary glint in her eyes as she pulled back. “Did Judd talk to you about our...terms and conditions?”

  


He snorted. Well that was one way to put it.

  


“Yeah, I signed the contract in blood,” he retorted, dryly.

  


Penny’s gaze hardened for a moment, in a rare show of anger. Damn, the tiny woman was downright scary when she wanted to be. “Don’t you fuck this up, Phillip Altman,” she threatened him, jabbing a finger in his face. “I will murder you in your sleep, if you do.”

  


“Ok, ok,” Phillip held up both hands to show his surrender, as he took a step back. “I heard you, Moore.”

  


Her normal cheery demeanor returned and she plastered a wide smile on her face, “Good. Enjoy the party.”

  


And just like that, she flitted away, off to greet other guests. 

  


“Shit,” he muttered to himself, shaking his head. He was going to need to go above and beyond if he wanted to convince his family he had changed. They obviously didn’t think he could do this. 

  


“Phillip,” his mother waved him over from where she was standing at the bar with Linda. “You made it.”

  


“Mommy,” he hugged her, before doing the same with her girlfriend, “Linda.”

  


“Hey, Phillip,” the softer woman smiled up at him. 

  


“You made sure to turn off the stove and lock up before you left, didn’t you?” His mother asked.

  


He rolled his eyes, groaning, “Mom, I’m almost thirty. I think I know what to do.”

  


“Just checking, son.”

  


He needed a shot, preferably something strong. Leaving onto the bar, he scanned his options, going with silver tequila. Phillip covered his hand with salt, before tilting his head back and taking his shot. 

  


Wiping his mouth, he turned back around and froze. 

  


Suddenly Judd’s protective tone and Penny’s overbearing nature made perfect sense.  _She_ walked down from the patio, radiant as ever with her sun-kissed skin and hazel eyes. She was dressed in a a green dress which hugged her soft curves and showed off her lithe form. He was immediately aware of the other male eyes on her, as she crossed the crowd to him. 

 

"Rey?"

 

“Hey handsome,” she flashed a grin at him, smiling like sunshine and summer in that magical way of hers. "It's been a long time."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for any typos. I don't currently have a beta for this fic. I was in a rush to post in time for Reylo AU week's Crossover prompt. 
> 
> Come say hi on tumbler [@wewantreylo](https://wewantreylo.tumblr.com/)


	2. Time Heals All Wounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maple’s idea of scary consisted of hallways without nightlights and the alleged monster under the bed. Rey’s idea of scary was a tad different. Though in this case, she agreed with her niece wholeheartedly. Phillip Altman terrified her. Or more accurately, facing him again after all this time terrified her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my beta, [@GreyForceUser](https://greyforceuser.tumblr.com/). Her fic [This is How Life Strikes](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15624126/chapters/36278217) is full of sexual tension and witty banter. I highly recommend it! 
> 
> To all those who have shown support for this fic from [TWD](https://thereylowritingden.tumblr.com/), I love you all! Thanks for offering up guidance and love for this story!

 

“Hey, handsome.”

 

Lord, could she sound any more pathetic? He was staring at her as though he was seeing a ghost. _Stupid, stupid, Rey_ , she chided herself. 

 

This was so much worse than she imagined it would be. It had been over a decade since she laid eyes upon Phillip Altman. Every day she struggled not to think of him and every day she failed miserably. If his reaction was any indication, he did not think of her. 

 

At all.

 

Somehow she managed to keep her fake smile plastered to her face while reaching past him to hug his mother, Hilary. 

 

“Oh, Rey!” the older woman cried, grabbing her tight. “It’s so nice to see you.” Rey’s breath was knocked out of her lungs as their chests came into contact with one another. Had Hilary gotten work done? 

 

Yeah, Hilary had a new set.

 

Backing up a step, Rey caught herself before she let her astonishment show.

 

“Rey, this is Linda Callen, my girlfriend,” Hilary introduced her to the woman standing aside of her. 

 

“I remember you,” Rey smiled at the lady, shaking her hand. “You’re Horry’s mom, right?”

 

“Yes, that’s me,”

 

“Is Horry here?” Rey asked, looking over her shoulder. All she saw was Phillip, who was crowding her in from behind and staring at her incredulously, as if he couldn’t believe she was actually there. 

 

“Yes,” Linda grinned. “He’s off with Wendy and the kids somewhere.”

 

“I’ll have to go and say hi,” Rey replied, while trying not to feel the heat of Phillip’s gaze on her back. 

 

“What are you doing here?”

 

_So much for ignoring the elephant in the room._

 

Pivoting around, she met Phillip’s eyes. Had Penny and Judd not told him? 

 

“I-I’m Penny’s maid of honor.”

 

“Shit,” he hissed, dropping his eyes to the grass. He ran a hand through his hair. It was longer than she remembered. She briefly wondered if he was still embarrassed about his ears the way he had been when they were in middle school. 

 

“Phillip!”

 

“Sorry, Mom,” he apologized automatically, not lifting his gaze. “So...how long have you been back?”

 

Did he really not know? _Of course not, Rey. He hasn’t thought of you. He moved on. You’re the one still living in the past._ “I moved back after-.”

 

“Aunt Rey!”

 

Rey whipped around, thankful for the distraction which came in the form of her niece running full-speed towards her. 

 

“Maple Syrup,” she beamed at the little girl. 

 

Maple had her mother’s dark hair and eyes, but her gentle demeanor and kind smile were all Judd’s. When Penny and him had gotten serious, Penny started referring to Rey as ‘Aunt Rey’ around Judd’s daughter and the name had stuck. 

 

Oddly enough, Quinn remembered Rey from school and had been ok with Rey watching Maple when Penny and Judd needed an extra hand. It also helped that Quinn was remarried herself. She settled down with a guy named Shawn in New York City and she and Judd had come to a civil understanding when it came to their utterly adorable daughter. 

 

“How’s my favorite star-pilot?” Rey asked, as she picked up the three-year-old. “Did you blow up any Death Stars today?”

 

“Mmm yep!” her niece exclaimed, gleefully. 

 

“Good job,” Rey laughed, leaning in to give Maple an Eskimo-kiss. They rubbed nose tips together, Maple giggling the entire time. 

 

Philip cleared his throat next to them, causing Maple’s eyes to drift over his towering form. She instantly shied away from him, wrapping her tiny arms tighter around Rey’s neck. 

 

One of the reasons Penny and Judd had asked Rey to watch Maple was because she was such a shy child. She wasn’t comfortable with new people, and Rey had been in her life from the moment she was born, thanks to her close friendship with Penny. Penny was an only child, with no living relatives, which made Rey somewhat of a surrogate sister to her and the perfect babysitter. And Rey _adored_ being Maple’s aunt.

 

“Hey, Maple,” Phillip waved at the toddler. 

 

Maple turned her head away, ignoring the man. Rey knew from Penny’s rants that Phillip didn’t visit often. When Judd had Maple, he didn’t visit at all, so the child’s reaction didn’t come as a surprise. But the hurt expression on Phillip’s face did. 

 

“Maple,” Rey rubbed her back soothingly, “this is your uncle, Phillip. Don’t you want to say hi?”

 

“No,” the little girl mumbled, keeping her head buried in Rey’s shoulder. 

 

“Maple Syrup,” Rey tried again, this time using her nickname. “Don’t be rude.”

 

“I don’t like him. He’s scary,” she ground out.

 

Rey’s eyes flashed up to Phillip, who was no longer staring at Maple, but watching her to weigh her reaction. Maple’s idea of scary consisted of hallways without nightlights and the alleged monster under the bed. Rey’s idea of scary was a tad different. Though in this case, she agreed with her niece wholeheartedly. Phillip Altman terrified her. Or more accurately, facing him again after all this time terrified her.  

 

She bit her bottom lip, unsure how to get out of this increasingly uncomfortable situation.

 

“Can we go play on the swings, Aunt Rey?”

 

_Thanks, Maple._

 

“Sure, sweetie,” Rey kissed the top of her head. “It was nice to see you all again,” she politely bid Phillip, Linda and Hilary goodbye. 

 

“Nice to see you too, dear.” Linda was the only one to respond. 

 

Rey didn’t think about how fast her heart was beating or how much her chest ached as she walked away. And if her vision blurred a bit as the distance between her and Phillip grew, it didn’t mean anything. 

 

She was nothing to Phillip Altman. She hadn’t been for a long time, though somehow her heart still hadn’t received that message.

 

* * *

 

As she helped Penny cleaning up in the kitchen when the party ended, Rey was still coming down from her anxious high. She knew she was scrubbing the serving platter too vigorously, as if it was what had done her wrong. 

 

“Are you sure you’re ok with this?” Penny asked, leaning against the counter, watching her friend’s efforts. “Maybe Judd should have asked Paul.”

 

“It’s fine,” Rey insisted, but from her tone they both knew it was not fine. 

 

Penny had been a good friend to Rey ever since they met as teenagers. She stayed in contact over the years and was the one to encourage Rey to move stateside when she was accepted to NYU's engineering program. Upon moving to the States, Rey decided to stay. She was lucky enough to get an entry-level engineering position at Skywalker Enterprises, working on flight simulation technology right out of college. After five years there, she was offered a job teaching at the New York Institute of Technology, which Penny had insisted she take so they could live closer together.

 

“Did he say anything to you?” her friend continued to pry.

 

“He didn’t know I was back, let alone in the wedding,” Rey commented, moving onto a vegetable tray.

 

“Well, Phillip always was clueless. Unless it had legs for days and blonde hair-.” Penny snapped her mouth shut, instantly regretting her snark. “Shit, Rey, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean-.”

 

“It’s fine,” Rey repeated. Maybe if she said it another hundred times it would be true and she’d feel like she could breathe again. “I put Maple down for the night.”

 

“Thanks,” Penny put a hand on her friend’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze. “She loves you, you know. It’s all ‘Aunt Rey’ this and ‘Aunt Rey’ that.”

 

“Glad someone does.” 

 

Rey hadn’t meant to sound so bitter, really she hadn’t. Being back around the Altman clan was difficult. She had grown used to seeing Judd, but having to play nice with all of them after what happened between her and Phillip was a challenge.

 

Ultimately, it had been her choice to come back here, but it didn’t make the past any less painful when it resurrected memories from an easier time. Every place reminded her of her childhood — of her parents before the accident, of her life before things got complicated and of Phillip. 

 

“Here’s the last of it, Penny,” Wendy Altman and Horry Callen entered the kitchen, carrying stacks of plates and serving utensils. Rey wiped her hands on a dish towel, turning around to greet them. 

 

After her run-in with Wendy’s youngest brother, Rey had kept busy with Maple. There were only so many reunions she could handle in one day. 

 

“Rey Kenobi,” Wendy said her name as though it tasted sour in her mouth. 

 

“Wendy,” Penny’s tone was a warning. 

 

“Haven’t seen you around,” Wendy commented, eyeing the way Penny kept close to her maid of honor. 

 

“Hey Scavenger,” Horry greeted her. He always was a sweetheart. 

 

He pulled Rey into a hug, patting her on the back. Though he had been years ahead of her in school, Horry had been at the Altman residence almost as much as Rey growing up. They had an unlikely friendship. Horry was like the older brother she never had. When she started tinkering with cars and bikes, he had driven her to the junkyard and helped her find pieces she needed to fix her latest project. 

 

“How you’ve been, Horry?” Rey asked, noting the scar along his temple and forehead. 

 

“Good. Mom moved in with Hilary and Sunflower moved in with me,” he informed her, draping his arm around Wendy. 

 

Well, that was news. 

 

“Congratulations,” Rey replied and she meant it. Horry deserved to be happy and even if Wendy was glaring at her like she was about to take up the cake knife and stab Rey, she deserved to be happy too.

 

“Thanks, Scavenger,” Horry grinned, blissfully unaware of the tension brewing between the females in the room. 

 

The four fell into an awkward silence. Rey wanted to finished the dishes and get out of dodge, but the tension was so strong she was afraid to move. It felt as though any sudden shift would cause the powder keg to burst. 

 

“The yard is all cleaned up,” Judd announced, as he entered the room with Phillip trailing behind. Judd eyed the silent standoff, before a wary grin graced his lips. “What’s going on?”

 

“Just wondering why the woman who broke Phillip’s heart is your maid of honor,” Wendy responded without missing a beat.

 

Rey felt her chest contract. She broke _his_ heart? Did he even have one of those? 

 

“Wendy,” Judd started, holding up one hand, “don’t do this here.”

 

“Then when are we going to do it, Judd?” she snapped. “We haven’t heard from her in years and now she’s your babysitter and Penny’s maid of honor? What gives?”

 

“What gives is she’s around more than any of you are and Penny and I like it that way,” he asserted, not backing down. 

 

His demeanor was different than how it had been in high school. Judd was usually quiet, easy-going but Penny had clearly rubbed off on him. 

 

Wendy moved before anyone could stop her. She picked up a half-filled champagne flute and flung it at Rey, dousing her and her dress. “That’s for cheating on my little brother,” she snarled. 

 

Rey sputtered, raising a hand to wipe away the moisture on her face, while Penny rushed to get a fresh towel. “Jesus, Wendy,” her friend hissed. The Altman sister had always been vindictive but this was—

 

_Wait! What?_

 

Suddenly all the inner turmoil Rey had been pushing down, fell away. It was replaced with pure rage. Her eyes narrowed, as she stepped around Penny to look at Phillip. “You told them _I_ cheated on _you_?”

 

He didn’t say a single word. He just stood there, staring back at her, mouth agape like a fish. 

 

 

Judd cursed under his breath. Penny grabbed Rey by both her shoulders and then the room went deadly quiet.

 

Time heals all wounds.

 

That’s what people said, but as Rey Kenobi stared at her first (and only) love, she had to disagree. 

 

What people didn’t say was that after time healed you, all it took was a fraction of a second to rip you wide open. People didn’t talk about how painful it was to have the scars on your heart bled anew by the person who put them there in the first place. 

 

If it wasn’t bad enough he betrayed her during the lowest point of her life, he had also lied about it. He had convinced his family — at one time she had considered them her family too — she was the one in the wrong. No wonder only Penny had stayed in touch. The entire Altman clan probably hated her.

 

The worst part of the entire situation was that Phillip had cast _her_ as the villain. The fact he was the reason behind her suffering only made her heartache worse.

 

Phillip Altman was trouble. Rey knew it was true the first time she saw him and she knew it was true now, only this time she listened to warning bells going off in her head. This time she ran the other way.

  

“Goddamn it, Phillip,” Wendy groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. “God- _fucking_ -damn it!”

 

“Um,” she had to swallow to keep her voice from cracking. “Please excuse me. I have to go.” She shoved past Horry and Wendy, taking off before anyone could stop her. 

 

Penny called after her, but Rey didn’t listen. She was so naive to think she could pull this off. Despite her intentions to be there for her friend, Rey had never gotten over Phillip and seeing him now only confirmed the fact. 

 

She felt like she couldn’t breathe. Her chest was seizing up and her vision was blurring at the edges. There was a sharp pain cutting through her sternum. Was this what I felt like to have a heart attack? Memories flashed before her, as she ran out of the house.

 

***

_Rey Kenobi didn’t know much about Long Island. When her parents told her they were moving to New York, she immediately pictured skyscrapers and and apartment overlooking Times Square. What they actually meant was a renovated three-bedroom house in Munsey Park, roughly an hour train ride from downtown New York City._

 

_Due to the timing of her father’s job relocation, Rey arrived in her new neighborhood two weeks after the start of school, which made it difficult to make friends. People were curious about her accent and why she had moved to New York from London, but once their questions were answered, they paid her no mind. Her parents were both career-oriented, so she often came home to an empty house._

 

_One day at the end of September, she was in the garage adjusting the deck drive belt on her father’s ride-on mower when she heard yelling. Curious, Rey stood up to look across the street in the direction of the voices._

 

_“You can’t come, baby brother,” a tall, lean boy was saying to a shorter boy who had a mop of black hair and pale skin. “The movie is rated R.”_

 

_“Just sneak me in, Paul.”_

 

_“No way! After that stunt you pulled last week, Dad would have my hide!” The older brother, Paul, refused._

 

_“Brown-noser,” his younger brother taunted him, but Paul merely walked away, ignoring him._

 

_The dark-haired boy sunk down onto the curb, glaring at the pavement. Rey continued to stare at him. She recognized him from her class, but she couldn’t remember his name. He had never introduced himself or approached her with questions about her past._

 

_As if he could feel her eyes on him, he glanced up, catching her. Rey flinched, shying back into the garage. She busied herself with tightening the belt, when someone knocked on the tractor hood._

 

_“Hey.”_

 

_Rey met the chocolate orbs of the neighbor. “Hi,” she greeted him in return._

 

_“What are you doing?” he asked._

 

_“Fixing my dad’s tractor,” she gestured to the inside of the machine. “The belt was loose.”_

 

_“You know how to do that?” he scanned the part Rey had tightened with awe. She nodded. Then he asked a different question. “Do you only fix things or do you break them too?”_

 

_“What did you have in mind?”_

 

_One hour and a lot of duct tape later, Rey had strapped Paul’s leftover fireworks to her his younger brother’s bike. “I’m going to shoot off like a rocket!” he cried, as he lit the fuses. Rey backed away, leaving him to peddle as fast as he could down the block._

 

_He made it only a few yards before the fireworks exploded, sending him crashing off to the side. Rey raced over to him. The bike had fallen on top of him, when he landed. She grabbed the handlebars and moved it away. “Are you ok?”_

 

_“Yeah,” he coughed, “that was amazing!”_

 

_“You almost lit yourself on fire!” Rey cried._

 

_“It was worth it,” he grinned. Despite herself she started to laugh and after a moment he did too. “Phillip Altman,” he offered his hand out to her._

 

_“Rey Kenobi.”_

 

_They were best friends from that moment on._

 

***

 

_Phillip smiled at her, as she walked into the house. “Hey Handsome,” she greeted him the way she always did, surprised when he blushed._

 

_Ever since Phillip’s growth spurt, he was self-conscious about his looks, particularly his long limbs and large ears. Rey insisted he looked the same to her as he always had, only taller. When that hadn’t helped, she took to calling him ‘handsome’ just to prove her point. She had been calling him ‘handsome’ for months, but he had never blushed before. Rey briefly wondered what had changed._

 

_They did their homework at the kitchen counter, while Hilary was writing in her nook. Phillip’s mom was so different than the other mothers Rey knew. Hilary swore often, drank even more and knew everything about everything — or at least Rey believed she did._

 

_Hilary was hard at work on a new book, muttering notes to herself as she edited a chapter in the sunroom._

 

_Rey smiled, glad the Altman house wasn’t as dull as her own. When she glanced up at Phillip, he was staring at her. She grinned at him, the way she always did when they sat together like this, but he immediately dropped his gaze, going red all the way to the tips of his ears._

 

_What was going on with him?_

 

***

_They had decided to watch Nightmare on Elm Street. Neither liked going out and joining in the loud parties their teenaged peers threw for Halloween. They agreed to have a horror movie marathon instead — just the two of them._

 

_They had already finished Friday the 13th while sharing a pizza and now they were huddled together on the sofa under a large afghan. Just as Freddy murdered Tina, Rey jumped._

 

_“Hey, it’s alright,” Phillip reassured her. “I’ve got you.”_

 

_He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, tucking her into his side. Then Phillip reached around their fronts and found her hand. He interlaced their fingers and turned his attention back to the screen. Rey spent the rest of the movie watching their hands in his lap, no longer scared of the movie._

 

_She was scared about what this meant for them. This was uncharted territory in their friendship and she wasn’t sure what to make of it._

 

***

_The Harvest Ball was less than a month away and not a single person had asked Rey to go with them. Actually, that wasn’t true. Guys had asked (even a few seniors), but the sophomore was holding out, hoping for a different invite. Not just any invite. She was waiting a certain someone with black hair and a staggering build to stop by her locker and ask her._

 

_But he hadn’t._

 

_Tickets were sold out and she swore if she had to listen to one more conversation at lunch about the dresses her friends had already bought, she was going to blow._

 

_Slamming her locker, she let out an agitated huff, as she stormed down the hall towards her fourth period class. What was Phillip waiting for? A sign from God? His father was an atheist!_

 

Ugh, that boy better have a good excuse for-

 

_Rey stopped in her tracks._

 

_Phillip was leaning against the doorway to her Biology class with a single long-stemmed red rose. Something was off about his appearance._

 

_Wait! Was he wearing a tie?_

 

_“Phillip, what are you-.”_

 

_“Willyoupleasegototheballwithme?” he blurted out._

 

_“What?”_

 

_He inhaled deeply through his nose and when he spoke again, his words came out slower and more steady. “Will you please go to the Harvest Ball with me?”_

 

_Rey blinked, certain she must have heard him wrong. Was this a joke? Had Penny put him up to this?_

 

_“Rey?” he was looking at her like a lost puppy. “Uh, I kinda need an answer. I’m going to be late to class, as it is.”_

 

_“O-ok,” she breathed, clutching her textbook to her chest._

 

_“Yes?”_

 

_“Yes, I’ll go,” she clarified, her voice a bit stronger this time._

 

_“Yes, you’ll go with me?” He questioned. She nodded and his face broke into a wide grin. He approached her quickly, handing her the rose. “I’ll see you after school?”_

 

_“Yeah.”_

 

_“Ok,” he repeated, still grinning. And then, before she knew what was happening, he was leaning down to peck her on the lips before taking off down the corridor._

 

_Rey smiled as she watched him go, tracing her lips where his had been seconds prior._

***

 

As the barrage of memories faded, Rey was forced back into the present and the outcome of her reunion with the Altman clan. Even after she had explained to Phillip nothing happened during the party, he went and told his family she cheated on him. She had never cheated on anyone, least of all Phillip. She was in love with him. _No, you used to be in love with him_ , her practical side reminded her, trying to separate the past from the present. If someone had asked her yesterday how she felt about him, she would've been able to give them a solid answer. Now, she was too conflicted; filled with too many raw emotions to decide one way or the other. 

 

Somehow, Rey managed to get into her car, pull away from the curb and navigate towards Northern Boulevard.

 

But she didn’t make it to the end of the road before the tears started to fall. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now, before y'all burn me at the stake...cool your jets. Things aren't what they seem. All will be explained in time. Promise!
> 
> Come say hi on tumbler [@wewantreylo](https://wewantreylo.tumblr.com/)


	3. One Stupid Mistake Changes Everything

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You’re an idiot,” Wendy rolled her eyes, facing forward and leaving him to his thoughts. 
> 
> Phillip couldn’t agree more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my beta, [@GreyForceUser](https://greyforceuser.tumblr.com/) who turned this around in less than a day because she's _AWESOME_! And she gave me the title for this chapter!
> 
> I'm updating a day early because of vacay. Enjoy!

 

Phillip watched Rey dart out of the house, frozen in his spot. Of all the things he had fucked up in his life, cheating on Rey (and subsequently lying about it) was the worst. He could almost hear his father grumbling under his breath, readying to smack him upside his head. Mort would have been ashamed of him.

  


_Thank God Paul isn’t here_ , Phillip thought.

  


His older brother would have taken it upon himself to be the one to act as Phillip’s father-figure in Mort’s absence. Paul's wife Annie hadn’t been feeling well — indigestion from the new pregnancy — and they went home before the Rey fiasco. At the time, Phillip thought it was a cop-out so his brother didn’t have to help him and Judd clean-up the backyard, but now he was grateful. He wouldn’t live it down if Paul had witnessed the train wreck Phillip had created with his lie.

  


Of all the stunned parties in the room, Wendy was the first to speak.

  


“Who?” she demanded. “Who was it, Phillip?”

  


“Chelsea,” he admitted.

  


“Chelsea Crouse!” Wendy shrieked, causing Horry to grab her by her shoulders. She looked about ready to lunge across the kitchen at her younger brother. 

  


“Yeah,” Phillip nodded, keeping his head down, as he scratched the back of his neck. He was glad for his long hair covering his ears. He was sure they must be  scarlet from embarrassment. 

  


“I warned you,” Penny was the next to speak up. She brandished the cake knife, her eyes murderous. “I told you to stay away from her, you...you, asshole!”

  


“Honey,” Judd was at her side then, one hand on her waist and one on her wrist, as he attempted to calm her down.

  


“Don’t,” Penny hissed between her teeth, hardly sparing Judd a glance before she returned her gaze to Phillip. “Rey had a hard enough time getting over you. Do you know how hard I had to work to convince her this,” she gestured to the members of the Altman clan, “wasn’t going to be a problem?” No one dared to speak. Not even Wendy. “Really hard!” Penny shrieked. “Now she knows why I was the only one to keep in touch.”

  


Wendy and Horry flinched at the accusation in Penny’s tone, but Phillip remained rooted  to his spot. He bit back his bottom lip, hands fidgeting in his pockets as he tried to think up a response. He thought of telling them about what had happened that night — about how scared he had been to lose her — about how one person’s perception had tainted his view of her — about how one careless, selfish mistake had cemented his fate.

  


There was no way they’d ever believe him. He was — as Penny had called him — an asshole. 

  


“Daddy?”

  


All five adults went still at the introduction of Maple wandering into the kitchen in her pajamas. Penny hid the knife behind her back, plastering on an innocent smile. Judd’s daughter walked over to him, raising her arms as she did. He picked her up, “Hey Maple, why aren’t you in bed?”

  


“You were fighting,” she said. 

  


Everyone looked ashamed. Wendy’s kids were both asleep on the living room couches, accustomed to the Altman antics, but Maple, who rarely saw the members of the clan, had never experienced the drama before. 

  


“No,” Judd consoled her, rubbing her back. “No, we were only talking...very, very loudly.”

  


Maple glanced around, then asked, “Where’s Aunt Rey?”

  


Phillip found himself wondering the same thing. Apparently Rey had been back in New York for a while. He wasn’t sure how long, but given how close his niece was with her, he’d venture at least a few years. Had Judd known the whole time? Had Wendy? Why had no one mentioned it to him before today?

  


“She had to go home, Maple,” Penny explained.

  


“But why?” 

  


“Because Aunt Rey doesn’t live here,” Judd informed his daughter. “She has her own place.”

  


“But why?” 

  


“Because that’s how grown-ups live,” Judd told her. “They have their own apartments and houses to live in.”

  


“But Penny lives with us and Shawn lives with Mommy,” Maple reasoned.

  


“That’s right,” Judd’s voice took on a higher octave, “He does. But um...that’s different because Shawn and Mommy are married and Penny and I are getting married.”

  


“So Aunt Rey will get married too, right?” Maple questioned.

  


Phillip had no way to stop the sharp pain which sliced through his heart at the notion. The thought of Rey marrying someone else had him clenching his fists in his pockets. It was difficult to see her after all these years, but seeing her married to someone would be the end of him. He didn't think he would be able to handle it.

  


_Isn’t what you did to her worse?_ a voice — which sounded a lot like Tracy’s — asked. 

  


“I don’t want her to be alone,” Maple stated.

  


“Aunt Rey isn’t alone,” Penny interjected, catching Phillip’s attention. He felt his heart drop into his stomach. Was Rey seeing someone? Oh God, what if she was already married? He hadn’t looked at her hands once. He had been too entranced by the way her hair framed her face. “She has us,” Penny finished, her lips turning up as she noticed the tension in Phillip’s body. 

  


“Are we gonna marry her?” Maple asked, innocently.

  


“No,” Judd chuckled, “it doesn’t work that way, Maple.” 

  


Judd and Penny laughed, while Wendy and Horry smiled, but Phillip couldn’t find it in himself to join in. The naive questions his niece asked had him thinking about what he had given up. 

  


He could still remember the details clearly as if it had only happened yesterday. It had started in high school, right before their last summer together. 

  


***

  


_Sophomore year was coming to an end and Phillip was looking forward to summer. Ever since he’d asked her to Harvest Ball in September, they’d been official and now he’d have two and a half uninterrupted months with Rey. They were going to take the train into the city and spend the day seeing which restaurant had the best pizza. He planned to take her to her first Broadway show and they’d walk around Central Park. They would spend the rest of the day reenacting some of their favorite movie moments as they ran around the city. At the end of it all, he was going to tell her the truth._

  


_He was in love with her._

  


_Rey had been his best friend since she had moved in across the street when they were eleven. Her parents were workaholics (and alcoholics), who were never home, so she had become an honorary member of the Altman clan._

  


_Mort adored her. She had introduced herself with a firm handshake and then proceeded to help him fix their central air unit. His father had loved her instantly._

  


_Hillary had taken little to no convincing. She was greatly outnumbered with her husband and three sons. Hilary had taken to Rey quickly, always giving her Wendy’s hand-me-downs and loading up her plate when she stayed for dinner._

  


_His siblings were all off at college now but for the few years they had been around, they had all enjoyed Rey’s company too. She came over every day after school and most weekends. She and Horry had even come to Temple with them once._

  


_To Phillip, Rey was everything. He didn't have any friends growing up, until she came along with her cute accent and smattering of freckles. He had never seen anyone like her before — a girl who smiled like the sun and laughed like a bell. She was amazing._

  


_Even as an eleven-year-old he appreciated her. Now at sixteen, he was infatuated with her. He still loved her smile and her freckles, but more than all of those physical attributes, he loved her completely for who she was as a person. Phillip wanted to go off to college with Rey, travel around the world with her and eventually get married._

  


_Rey was the only one who never treated him like a screw-up. When everyone else rolled their eyes and muttered, “Well, it’s just Phillip,” she was the one reassuring him, telling him he was brilliant and handsome and could do whatever he set his mind to. Rey was always there with her endless compassion and understanding. When he was with her, he felt like he could take on the world._

  


_Which was why she was his. Rey was his entire world._

  


_“Hey Handsome,” she greeted him in her usual sing-song voice as she approached his locker. “Last day of school, are you excited?”_

  


_“Fucking finally,” he rumbled. His voice had gotten deeper this year and he had gained a few inches. Rey was tall for a girl, but he found himself towering over her now. “I can't wait to kiss Algebra goodbye.”_

  


_“You have to take it again next year, Phillip,” she reminded him._

  


_“What?” He slammed his locker shut angrily. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”_

  


_“Sorry,” Rey shrugged, obviously not concerned. Then again, she had made the High Honor Roll every quarter and was planning on taking Advanced Placement courses next year. She didn’t share his hatred of numbers and algebraic equations._

  


_“Maybe I should get a tutor,” Phillip commented, as they walked toward their shared study hall period. It had been his favorite class of the day solely because it was with Rey._

  


_“I could tutor you, Phillip,” a voice behind them offered._

  


_He glanced over his shoulder. Chelsea Crouse was on their tail. Aside of him, Rey visibly tensed, clutching her trapper keeper to her chest and keeping her eyes straight ahead._

  


_“Hey Chelsea,” he greeted the blonde. “Ready for summer?”_

  


_“Oh my God, yes!” she cried, starting in on a list of all her plans._

  


_Phillip tuned her out, his eyes falling to Rey. She was stiff as a board. “Hey, you ok?” he asked, wrapping an arm around her. “If you’re cold, you can have my sweatshirt.” He knew she hated how the school pumped AC through the vents in the summer. It was too chilly for Rey._

  


_“Oh, Phillip, you’re so sweet,” Chelsea gushed, placing a hand on his other arm. Rey’s eyes flashed in anger as she caught the gesture._

  


_Wait, was his girl jealous?_

  


_Phillip couldn’t hold back his triumphant smirk. After years of being bullied for his looks, high school had been a welcomed reprieve. He had gone to the gym with Wendy and Rey the summer before, bulking up a bit. He’d grown out his hair and his acne finally cleared up. When he started classes again in the fall, people were friendly. Guys wanted to be his friend and girls wanted to date him but Phillip only wanted to date Rey. Still, he was only human and it was nice to see two girls fighting over him._

  


_Until Rey ducked out from under his arm and stormed off by herself to study hall._

  


***

  


“Phillip?”

  


“Phillip!” 

  


He blinked, coming back to the present, as his sister called to him numerous times. 

  


“We’re leaving,” Wendy told him when she saw him focusing on her.

  


Phillip noticed Judd was gone, probably putting Maple to bed. Horry had already taken Cole and Aleah out to the car, leaving him alone in the kitchen with Wendy and Penny. He wasn’t sure which woman was worse. They both looked homicidal at the moment. While both women were seething in their own way, it was clear they were both angry with him. 

  


His sister was glaring, looking ready for a fight. Penny had her arms across her chest, chin stuck out defiantly at him. The cake knife was gone, which was a plus, but they were still in the kitchen where several other weapons were at the ready. It was in his best interest to get out of dodge.

  


Phillip said a hasty goodbye to Penny, the way he had seen Chris Pratt’s character bid goodbye to his raptors in Jurassic World. Then he was dashing out of the house, as if Penny would attack him with the fervor of a prehistoric beast. 

  


“Seriously, Phillip,” Wendy groaned, as they piled into the van. “Chelsea Crouse? She was a year ahead of you in school. Did you ever stop to wonder why she wanted you? She was never a nice person. She only ever wanted people for what they could give her and…” His sister trailed off, biting her lower lip.

  


“And what?” He felt the worst was yet to come. 

  


“...and Rey hated her.” Wendy finished.

  


Phillip chuckled, a hard sound even to his own ears. “Rey doesn’t hate anyone, except for maybe me.”

  


Wendy turned around in her seat to stare him down, as Horry put the van in drive. “You _can’t_ be serious? Are you blind or just stupid?”

  


_Both._

  


In Rey’s case definitely both.

  


When he didn’t reply, Wendy continued, “Chelsea bullied Rey most of junior high and high school. She was always jealous of Rey and when she saw the two of you together,” Wendy made a disgusted sound in her throat. “She only wanted you because you were Rey’s.”

  


Phillip ran through his memories, attempting to find proof of what Wendy had shared with him. There had been days when Rey came over sad and quiet, her light dimmed due to her mood. She had been picked on while growing up — they both had. It was one of the reasons they had been so close. They understood one another.

  


“You’re an idiot,” Wendy rolled her eyes, facing forward and leaving him to his thoughts. 

  


Phillip couldn’t agree more. 

  


* * *

 

 

Hilary wasn’t home when Phillip walked into the house. There was a note on the kitchen counter announcing she and Linda had gone out to dinner. Phillip trudged up to his bedroom, preferring his space to the shared rooms of the house. Even though he hadn’t eaten much all day, he found he had no appetite. Lying down on his bed, he thought back on the fateful night — the night which had altered everything.

  


_It was the first night of summer and a time for freedom. Despite their unspoken rule to not go out to parties thrown by their classmates, Phillip and Rey had agreed this one would be safe. Charles “Boner” Grodner’s family was out of town for the weekend, but since he was teaching Bible camp over the summer, he was left home. Phillip suggested he throw a party and before he knew it, the entire sophomore and junior class were preparing to show up on “Boner’s” doorstep._

  


_Now, as Phillip leaned on the kitchen counter in the Grodner’s house sipping a red Solo cup of cheap beer, he thought it was the worst decision he had ever made. There were far too many people in the house. Whoever was DJ-ing had terrible taste in music and he had lost track of Rey about twenty minutes ago. She'd gone off in search of an unoccupied bathroom and he hadn’t seen her since. Phillip refused to move from his spot until she came back. He wasn’t sure how else she’d be able to find him in the crowd._

  


_“Hey there,” a familiar voice cooed. He glanced over to find Chelsea Crouse next to him. She let her weight fall into him, nudging his side. “Where’s your friend?”_

  


_“Girlfriend,” Phillip corrected, absently, his eyes scanning the crowd for Rey._

  


_“Oh,” Chelsea gasped, “I didn’t realize you were still together.”_

  


_“Of course we are,” he replied, watching the sea of bobbing heads in the living room for one with chestnut hair._

  


_“I hate to be the one to tell you this, Phillip,” Chelsea began and he felt her put her hand on his. “Rey and Charles are in his room. With the door shut.”_

  


_Phillip suddenly felt sick. Was that why Rey had been gone so long? She had gone off to be with “Boner”? Just as soon as he thought it, he shook his head. No, Rey would never do that. She and “Boner” were friends. They were taking their Advanced Placement classes together in the fall. They were probably just talking about the crazy curriculum or fighting over who would be named Valedictorian again. Chelsea was wrong._

  


_She had to be._

  


_“I didn’t want to believe it either, but I wasn’t the only one who saw them,” Chelsea continued. “Jane and Tina saw them too. It was like they weren’t even trying to hide it.”_

  


_He caught Rey making her way through the living room. Phillip felt his spirits pick up. She was coming back to him. She was—-_

  


_— holding “Boner’s” hand._

  


_What the fuck?_

  


_Downing the rest of his beer, he pivoted around and grabbed Chelsea around her waist. She squealed, but he silenced her quick enough, crashing his mouth down on top of hers. She tasted all wrong — felt all wrong. Just as quickly as he had kissed her, he yanked himself back, staggering under the weight of what he had done._

  


_Phillip turned around to leave and stopped dead in his tracks. Rey was standing there, eyes wide and filling with tears as her heart shattered._

  


_Immediately he recognized that_ this _was the worst decision he had ever made._

  


The memory brought up a whirlwind of pain and a stirring up of dormant emotions. As he came back to himself, Phillip decided he needed something to take the edge off. His normal coping mechanism — sex — was off the table. Since Tracy wanted him to wait for a meaningful relationship before having sex, he was pretty sure he’d never have sex again. The only meaningful relationship he had ever been in was with Rey. After her abrupt departure from Judd’s house, he was certain she didn’t consider any relationship she had with him meaningful.

  


So he was left with two alternatives — smoking or drinking.

  


Hilary had been insistent there be no weed in her house. Ever since the incident with his brothers at Temple, she had been against smoking in general. Phillip couldn’t imagine why. 

  


So that left drinking.

  


Stomping downstairs, he went to the liquor cabinet, only to find a bright pink sticky note situated across every bottle inside. In bold black sharpie his mother had left a note.

  


_Phillip,_

_Unless you plan on paying rent, the booze is off limits._

_Love, Mom_

  


Psssht, Love? Seriously? She was cutting him off from his only comfort and she was going to sign the note that way. _Great_ , he thought as he rubbed his temples. He could feel the onset of a tension headache forming. 

  


Without overthinking it, he grabbed Linda’s keys. A drive would do him some good. 

  


* * *

 

 

An hour later, Phillip found himself at Kanata’s, a local bar in Old Brookville. It was far enough away from their home that he wouldn’t run the risk of seeing anyone from high school. After revisiting the worst mistake of his life, the last thing he wanted to do was have an impromptu run-in with Chelsea. 

  


The summer air was heavy with humidity as he strolled down the sidewalk to the bar. The weight pressed down on him, like a disembodied reminder of his sins. 

  


As he came upon Kanata’s, he could hear music filtering out to the street. They were having karaoke night. At least he’d have some entertainment while he drowned his sorrows in liquor. He yanked the door open and froze.

  


Seated at the bar, directly in his line of vision was Rey. 

  


She was sipping a girly cocktail through a straw, watching a trio shouting into their mics on stage. Her face was lit up with laughter, a sharp contrast to the tears he had caused earlier. 

  


The green dress was gone, replaced with jeans and a brightly colored tank top. Rey’s hair was tied away from her face, allowing him to see the gentle curve of her jaw and her dimples as she continued to laugh. 

  


She was stunning.

  


Instinctively, Phillip moved towards her. As he did he became aware of a man seated to her right — a man who was staring at him. 

  


The second Phillip noticed him, the redhead draped his arm along the back of Rey’s bar stool, leaning into her. He whispered something which caused Rey to flinch. Phillip growled low in his throat. If that man touched her, he would-

  


That was exactly what the man did. He cupped Rey’s face in one hand, keeping her hazel orbs focused on his face and then the ginger asshole had the audacity to smirk — literally smirk — right at Phillip, as he got even closer to Rey. 

  


_His Rey._

  


_No, not yours_ , the voice which sounded like Tracy’s reminded him. _You gave up the right to call her yours a long time ago._

  


Phillip watched Rey and the man she had chosen together for a moment longer. It killed him to see her so happy and content, when he was so miserable.. 

  


But if he wanted someone to blame, he need only look in the mirror.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Confession Chelsea's last name is Crouse because that is the last name of the girl who bullied me in HS. This is my own form of payback. Not that I'm vindictive or anything... 
> 
> Also, I promise things aren't what they seem (in more ways than one), so hold onto your hats. We're about to find out more about what happened on that fateful night.
> 
> Come say hi on tumbler [@wewantreylo](https://wewantreylo.tumblr.com/)


	4. Testing a Theory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The moment Rey opened the door to her apartment, she heard her roommate and friend, Rose Tico shriek, “That asshole! What a slimy, arrogant piece of-.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember how I said, things aren't always what they seem? Keep that in mind...
> 
> Sorry for posting this a day late. I had a lot going on at work yesterday and needed to be away from my laptop and people in general. 
> 
> Thank you to my beta, [@GreyForceUser](https://greyforceuser.tumblr.com/) for all her insight and wisdom on this chapter.

 

The moment Rey opened the door to her apartment, she heard her roommate and friend, Rose Tico shriek, “That asshole! What a slimy, arrogant piece of-.”

 

Apparently, Penny called Rose to fill her in on what happened with Phillip while Rey drove home. Her roommate had sprung into action, summoning their urban family together. By the time Rey walked in, Finn Trooper, Poe Dameron, Armitage Hux, and Gwen Phasma were circled together in the living room with a seething Rose standing in the kitchen archway.

 

“Baby!” Poe charged at Rey the second she crossed the threshold. “Come here,” he enveloped her in a conciliatory hug. 

 

As the oldest in their rag-tag group, Poe had taken up the mantle of father figure. This was partly due to the fact he was a natural born leader and partly due to the fact he liked being at the center of drama. Poe was charismatic and classically handsome, but she found him to be a little over the top. Still, his antics never failed to humor Rey, especially because his surly boyfriend Hux was decidedly _not_  touchy-feely. He was the polar opposite of Poe.

 

Then again, Armitage Hux also happened to be her oldest friend. She had known him since she was a child. They met while attending preparatory school together in England. One of a handful of sponsored children, Rey was enrolled into the prep school as part of a scholarship program for academic achievement in the public school. Hux had been the only person who spoke to her on her first day. It took her nearly a full year before she understood why.

 

Despite his wealth, Hux was alone too. Brendol Hux never acknowledged his son's birth mother. Once born, Hux was removed from his mother's care to be raised by Brendol's staff. Somehow Armitage had seen in Rey the same loneliness he saw within himself. While Rey’s parents hadn’t openly cast her out, they preferred self-medicating after work instead of spending time with their daughter. On her first day of school, Rey had shown up without lunch or money to purchase food in the cafeteria. Hux shared his meal with her that day and they had been friends ever since. He knew her better than anyone, Penny included.

 

“Are you alright?” Gwen asked from her seat next to Hux on the couch. For some reason those two always sat together.

 

“I’m fine,” Rey sighed, letting Poe lead her into the room. As happy as she was to see all her friends, she would have preferred to wallow alone for the rest of the night.

 

Gwen and Poe were in their fourth year at NYU when Hux, Rey, Rose, and Finn entered the institution as freshmen. The group all met each other at an International Students club meeting. Poe was the President with Gwen as the Vice President. Being around other students who were in similar situations opened doors for Rey and Hux, though Rey had been the one to make the introductions. After their first meeting, it was clear all six of them were going to remain friends beyond their time spent at the college.

 

“Do you need me to call somebody?” Gwen offered.  “I still have connections to Order 66.”

 

No one really knew the specifics about Gwen’s past, only that she had been part of a dangerous underground organization before she moved state-side. As if the towering Amazon wasn’t intimidating enough due to her physique, she had the backing of several suspicious characters. Rey was just thankful Gwen took a liking to her while they attended school.

 

“I’m fine, Phas,” Rey insisted.

 

“Your dress isn’t,” Hux remarked, characteristically blunt. 

 

“Nice man,” Finn rolled his eyes. Like Hux, Rey, and Gwen, Finn hailed from England. His girlfriend, Rey’s roommate Rose, came from Vietnam. The two had danced around one another for years, before finally starting to date last year. Rey was honestly surprised they hadn’t moved in together yet, but she kept her mouth shut. There was no way she’d be able to afford the apartment by herself.

 

“At least it’s not your only dress,” Rose remarked. Rey smiled at her. The other girl was sweet, always attempting to see the silver lining.

 

“I’m gonna get changed,” Rey informed her friends, needing a minute to herself before she was forced to relive the last few hours. 

 

They all nodded in understanding, allowing her to take her leave. Her apartment was small, but Rose and Rey had been able to afford separate bedrooms, which offered up the privacy Rey so desperately needed at a time like this. As soon as she closed the door behind her, she began to cry again.

 

As the tears fell, she found herself transported back to the night everything had changed for her and Phillip Altman.

 

_It may have been Phillip’s idea for Charles to throw a party, but it was Rey who insisted on going. She was feeling sentimental as her time living in Munsey Park got shorter and shorter. Rey had her sights set on attending Georgetown after graduation. Phillip and her had already spoken about it. They were going to go together, find an apartment and start their lives together._

 

_Or at least that’s what Rey planned on doing._

 

_Phillip hadn’t stopped complaining long enough for her to ask him his opinion. He was convinced the party sucked before they had even stepped inside._

 

_Rey felt bad for Charles, their host. She had met him in Pre-Calc in ninth grade. He was a bit awkward, but he was kind. Most of the people who were in attendance didn’t even know him. They all turned up for an excuse to celebrate the end of the school year without parental supervision._

 

_“Hey Charles, great party!” Rey tried to cheer him up, as he walked by. He managed a small wave, before disappearing into the crowd._

 

_“Can we go home now?” Phillip grumbled._

 

_“We just got here,” she pointed out._

 

_“Whatever,” he grumbled, sullenly. “I thought this was going to be our summer.”_

 

_“It is,” Rey insisted, “but we only get to be sixteen once. Besides,” she looked around at the different groups all meshing together under the shared need for release after a long year, “this is fun, right?”_

 

_“If you say so,” he muttered, moving around her to grab a beer from the kitchen._

 

_“I’m going to hit the bathroom,” she told him, chiding herself for drinking so much water before they arrived. “Be right back.”_

 

_Phillip gave her a half-hearted, one-armed hug before she made her way towards the downstairs bathroom. The line was around the foyer and into the dining room. Sighing, Rey tried to think of another option._

 

_People were on the steps leading to the second floor and she figured there had to be another bathroom upstairs. Taking the steps two by two, she raced up, rejoicing when she found a bathroom at the end of the hall._

 

_After she relieved herself, Rey started for the steps when she heard soft sobs coming from one of the bedrooms. She noticed a dim light in the corner and a figure curled up on the floor._

 

_“Hello?” she called, stepping inside._

 

_“Rey?”_

 

_“Charles?”_

 

_“Shut the door,” he demanded, sounding embarrassed._

 

_She did as he asked, flicking on the overhead light before moving to join him on his bedroom floor. “Charles, what’s wrong?”_

 

_“It’s my parents,” he explained. “They're getting divorced.”_

 

_“Oh, Charles,” she gasped, “I’m so sorry.”_

 

_Divorce wasn’t unheard of in their area, but it was rare. Most families would rather deal with their unpleasantness behind closed doors than deal with the societal fall-out of admitting they were separating._

 

_“When did you find out?” Rey asked, placing her hand on his back, as a sign of comfort._

 

_“This afternoon,” Charles admitted. “When Bill and I got home from school they told us they weren’t going on vacation. Mom is going house hunting and Dad is staying with my Aunt in Toronto. He said he needed time to process. Whatever that means.”_

 

_“Where’s Bill now?” Rey questioned._

 

_“Probably drinking himself into oblivion,” Charles scoffed, obviously upset. “He said he knew it was coming, as if that helps.”_

 

_“I’m sorry, Charles,” she said again, rubbing his back soothingly. “I can’t imagine what I would do if that happened with my parents.”_

 

Mostly because my parents aren’t around _, she thought to herself._

 

_“I just wish my brother would talk to me,” Charles sobbed, dropping his head into his hands. “Bill and I used to talk about everything but now he’s gonna be a senior and he thinks he has it all figured out.”_

 

_“Well why don’t I help you find him and you two can talk up here?” Rey suggested._

 

_Charles didn’t answer for a few moments, sobbing into his knees. Once his cries had calmed down, he picked his head up and nodded. “Yeah, Ok.”_

 

_Rey took Charles’ hand to lead him through the throng of people assembled in his house. If Bill was drinking, he’d be in the kitchen._

 

_She was preparing to tell Phillip not to say anything about the fact Charles was crying when she rounded the corner._

 

_Rey dropped Charles’ hand, as her stomach dropped from the sight before her._

 

_Phillip was kissing Chelsea Crouse._

 

_A million things ran through Rey Kenobi’s mind at that moment, but the only one she acted upon was walking out._

 

_She walked out of the party and out of Phillip Altman’s life._

 

Even now, over a decade later, the memory stung. Rey wiped at her cheeks roughly, trying to rid her face of the evidence of her tears. 

 

A pounding came at her door. “Rey, baby.” It was Poe. “Put on your dancing shoes. We’re going to Kanata’s. It’s karaoke night!”

 

Rey groaned, not interested in singing some overplayed rock ballad — or more accurately — she wasn’t interested in hearing her tone-deaf friend belting out ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’ for the third time this month. 

 

“I might sit this one out, Poe,” she called through the door, as she stripped out of her ruined dress.

 

“Uh uh,” his disappointed tone carried through the door separating them. “You are coming out with us. That’s final!”

 

Rey rolled her eyes, but couldn’t hold back her smile. Even if her heart was broken, at least Rey had her self-made family.

 

_Guess I need to find something to wear..._

 

* * *

 

 

A couple of hours later, she found herself seated next to Hux at the bar while Poe, Finn, and Rose perused the song book for their singing selection. 

 

Phasma spotted a colleague from NYCB. The theater hosted a slew of specialized events and tributes. Phasma had been managing the club since she graduated NYU with a double major in business and marketing. Considering how cozy she and the other woman appeared, Rey didn’t think their conversation had anything to do with business.

 

“How are you holding up?” Hux asked, once the bartender handed them their drinks. He had been quiet all night, waiting until it was just them to broach the subject with her.

 

“Fine,” Rey replied, before taking a gulp of her vodka pineapple. 

 

“Right,” he scoffed, “and maybe this Christmas I’ll fly home and see Brendol.”

 

Armitage Hux’s father was hands-down the most vicious man Rey had ever had the misfortune to meet. While her friend could be snarky and a bit brash, his father played an entirely different game forged by harsh political tactics and a cut-throat personality. It hadn’t taken much for Rey to convince Armitage to join her at NYU. He jumped at the opportunity to leave his family’s estate in Surrey and the wicked man who owned it. 

 

“I told Penny I’d be there for her and I will,” Rey insisted. 

 

“I know,” Hux replied, “and that’s why you’re you and I’m me, Kenobi. You are always worried about other people when you should be worried about yourself.”

 

“Listen here, you ginger prat,” she pointed a finger at him, “You’re lucky I care more about other people than you do. I could have left you at Hux Manor.”

 

He shrugged, feigning indifference. “You did once before.”

 

Rey rolled her eyes. “I was eleven, Armie! I didn’t have a choice back then.”

 

“ _Don’t_ call me that,” he grumbled. “You know I can’t stand that name.”

 

“What? Armie?”

 

“Kenobi,” he growled, “I’m warning you.”

 

“But it’s such a nice name, Armie,” she continued to tease, completely unaware of a new patron entering the bar and staring at her. 

 

“Kenobi, I swear to God, if you don’t-.”

 

Suddenly, Hux snapped his mouth shut. 

 

“What?” Rey giggled, taking another sip of her drink. 

 

“Your Phillip-.”

 

“Not mine,” she groused.

 

“Whatever,” Hux waved at her, dismissing her correction. “Your Phillip...he’s tall with black hair and a goatee?”

 

“Yeah,” Rey replied, absently. “Why? Are you interested?”

 

When her friend didn’t answer, she glanced over her shoulder and saw Phillip Altman in the doorway. Her lips parted and she made to go to him, when Hux’s hand on her thigh stopped her. 

 

Armitage slipped an arm around her, pulling her closer, so she had to face him. His opposite hand came up to cup her chin. “Look at me, Kenobi,” he instructed, low. “This will only work if you keep your eyes on me.”

 

“What the _fuck_ are you doing, Hux?” she hissed.

 

“Proving a theory,” he replied, his eyes flickering away from her face to where she imagined Phillip was standing. “I wonder,” Armitage mused, leaning in. 

 

Rey instantly tensed up. “Hux, so help me I will cut off your manly bits if you even think about kissing me!”

 

“Kenobi,” he was back to focusing on her, “don’t insult me. I’m trying to do you a favor.”

 

“And what’s that?” she asked through gritted teeth. 

 

“You’ll see,” he smirked, running his thumb across the skin of of her cheek, while keeping his eyes trained on hers. “Don’t look away.”

 

“Sod off, you wank!”

 

“Ah, I love it when you swear,” he sighed dramatically. “Reminds me of the old country.”

 

Rey heard a glass shatter somewhere behind her and then Hux was withdrawing from her so fast she nearly had whiplash. 

 

“I think I’ve proved my point,” he chuckled, smugly, turning back to his drink. 

 

She glanced over her shoulder. Phillip was gone and a waitress was hastily cleaning up a spilled pitcher of beer and several glasses. 

 

“What are you on about?” Rey demanded.

 

He faced her, scanning her face. “That man may be a complete wanker, but he is also completely in love with you.”

 

“You’re wrong,” Rey shook her head, peering down the mouth of her own glass. “Phillip Altman doesn’t give a damn about me.”

 

“Oi,” he grumbled, “you’re more fun when you’re pissed off. Stop feeling sorry for yourself. What happened between you two was a lifetime ago. You were young and naive. Both of you. You aren’t now, so open up your goddamn eyes.”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“I’m not going to pretend I’m as good as Dameron at this shit,” Hux muttered, “but I know jealousy when I see it and that man does not like the idea of you being with anyone else. So if he didn’t care about you, why would it bother him to see you with another man, huh?”

 

Rey pondered over his words for a moment. Then she let out a little laugh. 

 

“What?”

 

“You know, Hux, I think this is the nicest you’ve been to me since grandfather died,” she told him, sincerely.

 

Hux was  her only friend when Rey had been forced to leave the States and return to England at sixteen. Though he'd grown taller and less tolerant of others, he accepted her back without question. She would never be able to repay him for flying her to Surry during their junior year at NYU to bury her grandfather. Obi Kenobi was the only family who had ever taken an interest in her — who loved her — and when she got word of his passing, she had been a wreck. Hux stayed by her side the entire trip, watching over her like a guard dog.

 

Sometimes it was a person’s actions, instead of their words, which had the most impact.  

 

“Yeah, well, don’t get used to it,” he dismissed her after a moment.

 

“I won’t,” she promised, turning back to her drink, but she caught the way his lips turned up, ever so slightly. Buried beneath Armitage Hux’s sullen exterior was a loyal friend. As unlikely pals as they were, she knew if push came to shove, he’d be there for her and she’d do the same for him. Without overthinking it, she leaned over and embraced him.

 

“Kenobi?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“You’re touching me,” he stated.

 

“So I am,” she replied lightly, not letting him go.

 

“I don’t like to be touched, Kenobi,” he reminded her.

 

“I know,” she mumbled, finally releasing him. “But you’ll deal with it.”

 

“I’d rather you deal with your man,” he quipped. “I bet you twenty he’s still outside.” Rey’s eyes widened and she immediately released her friend. He chuckled knowingly. “Don’t worry about the others. I think Rose is spending the night at Finn’s anyways.”

 

“Thanks, Hux,” Rey hugged him again. 

 

“Kenobi,” he warned.

 

“Right,” she pulled away. “No touching.”

 

“Ah, so she does listen.”

 

“Only sometimes,” Rey flashed him a grin. “I’ll text you later.”

 

“Cheers, Kenobi,” Hux raised his glass of bourbon to her. “I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

 

“Me too,” she replied, though it was more to herself than him. 

 

With that, Rey darted out of the bar in search of the man who held her heart. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come say hi on tumbler [@wewantreylo](https://wewantreylo.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Next up: Phillip and Rey talk things through...


	5. Worst in Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Alright,” Rey agreed. “My apartment is a few blocks that way,” she gestured down a side street. Then, as if only just realizing what she had implied by inviting him over, she asked, “Is that ok?”
> 
>  _No_ , he thought, because how was he going to keep his hands to himself if he was alone with her...in her apartment...where there was a bed. 
> 
> “Or we could meet up this week? There’s a coffeehouse by-.”
> 
> “No,” he interrupted, before she changed her mind. “Your apartment is fine. Lead the way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title is from the song by the same name, which you can listen to here: [Julia Michaels - Worst in Me](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJg-nqmlIOo)  
> I feel this is the perfect mood for this chapter. 
> 
> Thank you to my beta, [@GreyForceUser](https://greyforceuser.tumblr.com/) who made this chapter more fluid with all her wisdom!

****

 

Phillip stormed out of the bar, knocking into a waitress on his way out. He didn’t stop to apologize or ask her if she was alright. All he could see was red — the red of that pasty skinned weasel who had his hands on Rey. 

 

He continued to stomp down the pavement, positively seething. Phillip didn’t hear his name or the sound of running footsteps behind him. He was almost back to where he had parked Linda’s car when he finally noticed who was following him.

 

“Phillip!”

 

Whirling around, he saw Rey running after him. He stopped, turning to face her as she approached him. 

 

The first thing he noticed was her shoes. Phillip hadn’t been able to see her feet from the angle at the front door of the bar, but now he could. She was wearing a pair of Converse. He forced himself not to smile. She had never liked wearing heels. 

 

“Rey,” he greeted her, when she reached him, barely containing his rage.

 

He knew it would only further the rift between them if he allowed himself to snap at her. Phillip couldn’t tell Rey he didn’t want another man touching her when he was guilty of doing exactly the same thing with Chelsea. No, not the same thing. What he had done was much worse.

 

“Hey,” she breathed, slightly out of breath.

 

“Hey.”

 

They stood there, staring at one another in silence for a few moments. Phillip tried not to focus on the pink tinge of her cheeks or how her hazel eyes glittered from the street lights. 

 

When the silence bordered on awkward, she cleared her throat, “I didn’t know you came to Kanata’s.”

 

“I don’t,” he responded, honestly. 

 

“Oh,” Rey’s face dropped and she glanced down at the sidewalk. 

 

This wasn’t what he wanted. He had already hurt her enough. Swallowing his frustration, he tried again.

 

“I thought I’d try something new for a change,” he offered, hoping she’d look at him again. 

 

She did. “It’s nice,” Rey smiled, hesitantly. “We come out at least once a week.”

 

 _We_...right, of course.

 

“Your boyfriend seems-.” _Like a total douche._ “-nice.”

 

Rey’s brow furrowed. “My boy- oh! You mean Hux?”

 

Hux? What the fuck kind of name was Hux?

 

“The one with the red hair.” _With his hands all over you_ , Phillip seethed internally.

 

Rey began to laugh. It lit up her face all the way to her eyes. She clapped a hand over her mouth, in an attempt to stifle her outburst.

 

“What?” Phillip questioned, not sure what was so funny about her boyfriend. Did he dye his hair red? 

 

“It’s just that-,” she paused to collect herself. “Hux isn’t my boyfriend. He’s my GBF.”

 

“He’s your what-now?”

 

“Hux is my gay best friend,” she explained. “He came over to the States from Surrey with me. He’s dating our friend Poe. They live together.”

 

A wave of relief washed over Phillip, which he was sure was evident on his face. Thankfully, she didn’t appear to notice. As Rey continued to laugh, unaware of how pleased he was to hear she wasn’t in fact dating the man from the bar, he took a deep breath. If she was dating someone, wouldn’t she be with him on a Saturday night instead of out with her friend?

 

He could only hope.

 

“Rey?”

 

She stopped laughing instantly. He realized saying her name out loud had come out as more of a plea than a question. “Yeah?” 

 

“I think we need to talk,” he told her. 

 

He wouldn’t make it through the next few months if he didn't make things right with Rey. At least make sure she knew the truth of what happened and how sorry he was. Maybe they could start over. Maybe she could forgive him and he'd have another chance with her. If not, at least he could deliver on his promise to Judd and still be able to be his best man. 

 

“Alright,” Rey agreed. “My apartment is a few blocks that way,” she gestures down a side street. Then, as if only just realizing what she had implied by inviting him over, she asked, “Is that ok?”

 

 _No,_ he thought, because how was he going to keep his hands to himself if he was alone with her...in her apartment...where there was a bed. 

 

“Or we could meet up this week? There’s a coffeehouse by-.”

 

“No,” he interrupted, before she changed her mind. “Your apartment is fine. Lead the way.”

 

* * *

 

 

Phillip wasn’t sure what he had expected to find when Rey ushered him into her apartment. It was about the size of his dorm suite from Georgetown. She dropped her keys into a small ceramic bowl on an end table by the door and proceeded to cross the living room towards a narrow hallway. 

 

“I’m going to kick off my shoes,” she told him. “Make yourself comfortable.”

 

It was highly unlikely he was going to get comfortable any time soon, but Phillip deposited himself into couch to wait for her. 

 

Rey breezed back into the room a moment later. “Would you like something to drink?”

 

“Do you have any whiskey?” he half-asked, half-joked.

 

“Probably,” Rey answered, ducking into the kitchen. Over the half wall counter he was able to watch her as she shifted bottles around by their sink. “Yep!” she called, victoriously.

 

She joined him on the couch with a pair of Solo cups and the whole bottle. “Do you drink it straight or do you want a chaser?”

 

“After today, I need it straight,” he told her. 

 

If Rey was bothered by his honesty, she didn’t act it. She poured out two fingers worth of liquor into each cup, then handed him one. 

 

Phillip downed it in one gulp. He was already beginning to regret his decision to come here. The entire place smelled like Rey — sweet as sugar, sharp as citrus and something distinctively feminine. It was pure unadulterated Rey.

 

The apartment layout was nothing special, but her personality had overtaken it. He saw accents scattered about her residence. On the wall across from them were a pair of wrought iron framed mirrors. They were accented with a sunburst design and contrasted to the pastel yellow paint on the wall. The couch was a solid gray with decorative pillows adorned with gray and yellow chevron marks. The coffee table in front of them had three tiny potted cacti arranged on a single dish. 

 

Yes, this place was definitely Rey’s and he felt like an unwanted guest the longer he sat there.

 

“Can I top you off?” she asked, gently taking the empty cup from him. 

 

“Thanks,” he muttered, eyeing the brown liquid when she handed it back. 

 

They fell into a stretch of silence once more, each sipping at their beverage while avoiding the others eyes. 

 

“So,” Rey drawled, “this is awkward.”

 

Despite his nerves, Phillip chuckled. Rey joined in and they shared in the knowledge that each was just as uncomfortable as the other. 

 

“Did you ever think we’d be here?” Rey asked, mirth filled eyes and a bright smile on her face as if the past had never happened. “Almost thirty and...” she trailed off with a shrug. 

 

“No,” Phillip laughed, “I thought...” He stopped himself before he could tell her the truth. 

 

_I thought we’d be married with three kids, a dog and a house in the Hamptons._

 

He couldn’t say that to her. Not if he wanted her to give him a second chance. If Phillip was going to prove himself to Rey, he needed to show her he had changed. He had to be an adult. 

 

“Hey,” he caught her eyes, his tone serious. 

 

“Rey, I'm so sorry about your parents,” he said, softly.

 

“Thank you,” Rey lifted her eyes to meet his. “Sorry about, Mort.”

 

Phillip tensed for a moment, then swallowed. “Were you…were you here when we had the funeral?”

 

She didn’t want to lie to him, not now when they were finally beginning to speak again. “Yes,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. “I wasn’t in Munsey Park at the time, but I was in the States. Penny told me.”

 

“You could have come,” Phillip commented. “He would have liked that.”

 

Rey snorted. “I doubt it. Mort didn’t like parties and he certainly didn’t like the type of pomp and circumstance people go through for funerals.”

 

“Nah,” Phillip agreed, easily with a small guffaw, “but he would have liked you being there. He always liked you.”

 

“I liked him too,” she confessed. “He was a good man.”

 

“Yeah, he was.” Phillip got quiet after that, his eyes fixated on her coffee table. He paused for a moment before he let out a deep sigh. “I’m not a good man.”

 

“Phillip,” Rey reached for his hand, but he drew away from her.

 

“I hurt you,” he admitted, his voice hoarse. “And I couldn’t even tell my family the truth. I lied about it.”

 

Rey didn’t mean to harp on it, but she had to ask, “Why? Why did you lie about it?”

 

“I made a mistake,” he started, “and the second I realized what I did, I knew it was wrong.”

 

“If you knew it was wrong why did you do it?”

 

“I was angry!” he snapped, remembering his storm of emotions from that fateful evening. “I saw you holding his hand and I just lost it.”

 

Rey quirked a brow. “Whose hand? Charles?”

 

Phillip finally raised his eyes to hers,“Did you kiss him?” he demanded, suddenly feeling like the lost puppy of a teenager he had been at sixteen. A lost puppy who had been kicked to the curb when he lost his girl.

 

“Phillip Altman, is _that_ what this is all about?” Rey practically screamed at him. When he didn’t answer right away, she threw her hands up into the air with an undignified groan. “God, you are the dumbest man alive!”

 

Not knowing how to respond to her remark, he waited while she collected herself. “I didn’t kiss Charles. His parents were getting divorced and he needed someone to talk to.”

 

“But you were holding hands,” Phillip insisted, feeling incredibly immature about his choice of retort. The moment the words left his mouth he heard how ridiculous he sounded.

 

“We were trying to find Bill in that madhouse,” Rey explained. “Charles had been crying and I didn’t want anyone saying anything to him about it...especially you.”

 

Oh...well that made sense. “Boner” and Rey had been friends and his parents did get divorced, which was why he had become a Rabbi, or so Hilary had said.

 

“So...nothing happened?” Phillip asked, though it wasn’t really a question, more of a dejected statement. Wendy was right. He was an idiot.

 

“Nothing happened,” Rey confirmed.

 

“Chelsea told me-,” he began, but Rey cut him off.

 

“And you believed her!”

 

Phillip had never seen her look so enraged before. Rey’s eyes were narrowed and her jaw was set tight. “I was upset,” he attempted to dig himself out of his hole. “I thought you ran off with “Boner” for Christ’s sake. Chelsea wasn’t the only one who saw you two go into his room alone and then she was there and I wanted to hurt you the way you hurt me.” Rey visibly flinched at his confession. “It was wrong and I know that. I knew it the moment I saw your face.”

 

“Then why did you say I cheated on _you_?”

 

“I don’t know.”

 

“You don’t know?” Rey hissed, clearly not believing him. “Don’t lie to me, Phillip! I think I deserve to know the truth? So tell me. Why did you do it? Why did you break my heart and then turn around and tell your family I was the one who broke yours? ”

 

“Because I was embarrassed!” Phillip heard himself shout. He knew he had raised his voice, but he couldn’t stop himself. There were too many emotions bubbling up to the surface -- pain, regret and overwhelming fear. Fear he was going to lose Rey all over again. This was supposed to be his second chance and he was royally screwing it up. “I know I fucked up, ok? I just didn’t want to admit it. Not to you. Never to you. Everyone else already believed I was a lost cause. Everyone but you. And then...then I messed up with you too and I couldn’t deal. I couldn’t handle that.”

 

He stood up, looking over her, as he continued detailing to her how the night had impacted him. “You were my best friend. You were the first girl I ever kissed and the first girl I ever...” He halted. That was one first he couldn’t revisit right now. It was far too painful. 

 

“Why?” she managed between sobs. 

 

“Why what?” he asked. 

 

“Why did you...why did you lie to them? Your family?” 

 

Phillip sighed, dejectedly. There was no denying he had done so for selfish reasons. He swallowed again, then spoke. “They all loved you. Sometimes I got jealous because it was as if they preferred you to me,” he confessed. “I was never good enough for them. I knew if I told them the truth they’d blame me. You were gone. I had no one on my side anymore, no one to stand up for me. So I lied.”

 

Rey’s tears slowed as he admitted his reasoning. She watched him cautiously, as if she was trying to discern if he was lying now.

 

“It was easier for me to make you out to be the bad-guy instead of owning up to what I did. I figured they wouldn’t hold it against you, since I was such a fuck-up and because your parents had just died,” he added. 

 

“So all these years,” Rey sniffled. “All this time they never tried to contact me because they thought I kissed Charles?”

 

Phillip shrugged noncommittally, “Yeah.”

 

“God, Phillip,” she shook her head, grabbing a tissue to blow her nose. “I don’t know how you could do that.”

 

“I was scared. I was so scared of losing you, dammit, that I went ahead and did it anyway,” he hollered. 

 

“You were the only person I needed, because you were the only one who saw me for me. You didn’t see me as the baby. You didn’t try to make me into someone I wasn’t. You accepted me.”

 

He paused, pursing his lips. Rey’s expression was unreadable. “I don’t understand,” she whispered, so softly he almost missed it. “If you cared so much, why would you-.”

 

“I didn’t just care, Rey, I loved you!” I still love you, he finished internally. Couldn’t she see that? Couldn’t she see how hard it was for him to be here right now and not take her face in his hands and kiss her? 

 

Phillip had spent the entire afternoon reliving his past. It was a time in his life when he hadn’t felt alone and unwanted. All because of her. Because of Rey he actually received decent grades and earned a pat on the back from his old man. The more he thought about it, the more he understood how invaluable she was. 

 

At the same time he realized it, his cheek cracked with a stinging sensation. Phillip cupped his face with one hand, wide eyes finding Rey fuming in front of him.

 

“Don’t you _dare_ say that to me, Phillip Altman,” she snapped. “Don’t you dare.”

 

Her body was rigid where she stood and her arms were pinned straight at her sides ending in clenched fists. Rey’s face was flushed in anger but her eyes betrayed her. There were tears pooling in her amber orbs. 

 

“Rey, I-,” Phillip reached for her, but she smacked his hand away. 

 

“Don’t tell me you loved me after what you did,” she hissed. “You abandoned me, Phillip. When I needed you the most, you left me all alone.”

 

“I know,” his voice cracked, as he scrambled to explain — to apologize. “I know, Rey. I didn’t know that you'd have to leave after the accident. I thought you’d still be here.”

 

“How could I? I was an orphan,” she cried, her emotions finally overtaking her. “I had to go back where I knew no one and try to pick myself up after they died.”

 

Phillip swallowed against the growing lump in his throat. His sin was far worse in the context of her perspective, mainly because he never considered her being taken away. 

 

The night of the party, Rey’s parents were killed in a drunk driving accident they caused. Within a week, social services and immigration determined she was to be sent back to her home country and put in the care of her only living relative. 

 

At the time, Phillip had assumed she’d be placed with a foster family in the States and thought he would have plenty of time to patch things up with her. He was sixteen and naive. He half expected Mort and Hilary to adopt her. Had he known they would force Rey back to England to live with her grandfather, he never would have ghosted her. The night she had walked out of the party (and out of his life) was the last time they had spoken.

 

One day she was across the street and the next she was just...gone. Phillip hadn’t seen her since, until earlier today. 

He didn't know what to say. What could he say? He had betrayed her in the worst way possible.

 

"Rey, I…"

 

Rey sunk back into her seat in the couch, dabbing at her eyes. “So what now?” she asked. “We have Penny and Judd’s wedding. What are we going to do about that?”

 

“I came clean to my family this afternoon,” he informed her, sitting down next to her. “I should have done it years ago, but I honestly never thought I’d see you again.”

 

She didn’t respond to his comment. Rey reached for another tissue and then another, attempting in vain to clean herself up. Her eyes were red and puffy and her nose was tinged pink. Phillip felt his self-loathing spark anew. 

 

“Rey,” he took her hand before she could move away. “I’m sorry. I can’t say it enough, but I’ll say it as many times as you need to believe it.”

 

Their eyes locked and Phillip felt his breath catch in his throat. Despite her blotchy makeup and scarlet cheeks, she held his gaze. Her freckles were less prominent due to the blush of her skin, but she was still Rey. His Rey. Even as a red-eyed mess she was gorgeous. 

 

“I miss you,” she breathed. 

 

And if that wasn’t a shot straight to his heart, he didn’t know what was. 

 

“I miss you, too” he confessed. “I’ve missed you every day since you left. I’m so sorry, Rey.” 

 

He bent forward, taking a chance to see if she’d let him hold her. His arms wrapped around her and he was startled by just how small she was in comparison to him. How could a woman so tiny make him feel so much? She didn’t flinch as he hugged her nor did she attempt to pull away, which he considered a win. 

 

And then she was clinging to him, her arms running up his back, clutching at him as if she feared he would disappear.

 

No, not disappear. Leave. She was afraid he’d leave her, just like her parents had done. Just like he had already done.

 

Phillip closed his eyes, ordering himself not to lose it in front of her. He had been selfish his whole life. But right now, in this moment, he couldn’t think about himself. He needed to think of Rey. Phillip had to take care of her. She was giving him a second chance. He wouldn’t waste it.

 

Wordlessly, he cradled her, ignoring how the awkward position on the couch was a strain on him. A little uncomfortableness was worth it, if it meant Rey would stay in his arms. 

 

Phillip wasn’t aware of how much time past while they sat together, wrapped up in one another. Rey kept her face turned away, resting her cheek on his chest. He rested his head overtop of hers, keeping her tucked against him. 

 

The apartment was quiet, peaceful. Unlike his home where there were always unannounced visits from family members — namely his siblings — and Phillip was content to relish the silence. All he could hear was the beat of his heart and Rey’s soft breaths as she drew them in and out. 

 

Of course, it was too good to last.

 

His cell rang, sounding obnoxiously loud as it’s shrill ringtone pierced the calm. Rey sprung out of his embrace instantly. Phillip gritted his teeth, nearly snarling in agitation as he dug into his pocket for his phone.

 

“What?” he barked without checking the caller ID.

 

“Is that any way to speak to your mother, young man?” 

 

_Fuck._

 

“Sorry,” he grumbled, though he wasn’t. If anyone should be apologizing it should be Hilary. She was the one who interrupted his evening. 

 

“Where are you?” she demanded, loud enough Rey must have heard.

 

Phillip watched Rey’s hazel orbs widen. He licked his lips, coming up with a white lie. “I went out for a drive.”

 

“Well, Linda needs her car for work in the morning so do you mind bringing it back?” his mother pointed out.

 

He cringed from her tone and the implication of her words. “Sure, Mom. I’ll be home in a bit.”

 

“And it better not smell like pot, Phillip!” 

 

With that, Hilary disconnected the call. Sheepishly, he met Rey’s eyes.

 

“Why did you take Linda’s car?” she questioned, curiously. 

 

“Judd took mine to Maine and sold it when he got back to help pay for the house,” Phillip told her. Rey’s eyebrows rose up so abruptly he thought they’d get lost in her hairline. “It was an even trade, because it got me his and Wendy’s share of the store,” he explained. 

 

“So you don’t have a car,” Rey stated. 

 

“No,” he admitted, instantly preparing himself for her judgement. After all what self-respecting thirty year old man still lived with his mother and didn’t even have his own car? 

 

“Owning your own business is a sacrifice,” Rey replied.

 

Phillip breathed a bit easier. Of course she’d understand. This was Rey. Rey who had never judged him or thought bad of him until he had given her a very good reason to do so. 

 

“Yeah,” he agreed, “and working with Paul is the biggest one of all.”

 

She laughed, a pure, genuine laugh which filled the apartment. “How is Paul?” she asked, her smile staying on her face.

 

“Married to Annie,” Phillip responded. “You remember her? She used to date Judd.”

 

“Oh!” Rey clapped her hands to her mouth like it was some big secret. “Really?”

 

“Yeah,” he chuckled. “But it’s cool. Paul had a hard time with it during the funeral. Mom made us sit shiva and that brought up some old doubts.”

 

“Wait,” Rey held out one hand. “Hilary made you sit shiva? You guys aren’t even Jewish...well not fully. Mort was an atheist.”

 

“I know,” Phillip nodded. “Turns out mom's real objective was to get us all home so she could come out to us.”

 

“Oh,” Rey’s eyes filled with understanding, “Because of her relationship with Linda?”

 

“Yep,” he confirmed. 

 

It was so effortless to fall back into their friendship, as if the years hadn’t separated them. Talking to Rey had always been simple. She made him feel important and she listened to him — actually listened to the words he said. She didn’t just pretend and then ask him to clarify later. When he spoke to her, Rey made him feel like he was the only person in the room. 

 

Which was convenient because when he saw her, he was convinced she was the only person in the room. 

 

Phillip opened his mouth to ask her how long she had been back when his phone rang again. This time he did check the caller ID, which confirmed it was his mother.

 

“Hilary?” Rey queried, wearing an amused smirk.

 

He nodded as he stood, “I’ve got to go.”

 

“Alright,” Rey said, also standing. 

 

“Maybe we could...,” he gestured between them, unable to actually say the words. He was afraid to break whatever unspoken truce they had come to. 

 

“It would be nice to go back to the way things were,” Rey admitted. 

 

Phillip was elated. She was truly giving him a second chance! Immediately, he started to think of what he could do to prove to Rey he was sorry and that he’d never make the same mistake again — not with her. They could go to New York City and follow through on their plans from before. Who cared if they were nearly twice as old now? They could still go around acting like-

 

“You were my best friend,” Rey added, interrupting his train of thought. “It would be nice to have that again.”

 

_Friend._

 

The word landed like a thud in Phillip’s head, sounding like a death sentence to his heart. 

 

“Phillip?” Rey reached over, taking his hand. 

 

“I should probably get your number,” he quickly suggested, hoping his voice didn’t betray his hurt. “Since we are doing this wedding thing.”

 

“Good idea,” she beamed, unaware of how her words had wounded him. 

 

They exchanged numbers and Rey promised to text him when she was free to meet up for coffee so they could discuss hosting a combined stag and hen night (he had to correct her that it was called a bachelorette and bachelor party in the States).

 

After saying goodbye, he made the lonely trek back to where he had parked. As he walked back to Linda’s car, he tried not to sulk like a pathetic sixteen year old boy. Wasting energy on that wasn’t going to prove to Rey he was worthy of a second chance at being with her. He needed to do better — be better.

 

First up, he needed to act like a responsible adult who was worthy of her affections. That meant taking her out and treating her to a good time.

 

As he drove back to Munsey Park he began thinking up ideas, a plan already forming in his mind. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This update is a day early, thanks to my lovely friend [@starr-destroyer](http://starr-destroyer.tumblr.com/) who begged me earlier for a new chapter. She has a fantastic reylo fic called [And Just Like That](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14705417/chapters/33982838), which I highly recommend. 
> 
> Come say hi on tumbler [@wewantreylo](https://wewantreylo.tumblr.com/)


	6. Her Kryptonite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey recognized she was making a fatal mistake. She trusted him once before and it had backfired magnificently right in her face. Any lasting feelings she had for Phillip needed to be locked away for the sake of Penny’s wedding and Rey’s heart. 
> 
> They could be friends...but just friends. 
> 
> She could do that, right? 
> 
>  
> 
> _Right?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my beta, [@GreyForceUser](https://greyforceuser.tumblr.com/).

 

Rey watched Phillip leave her apartment, heart and mind conflicted. Prior to Hilary’s call she had been convinced he was about to kiss her. They had been so close and yet, she was relieved he hadn’t...sort of.

  


There was a part of her which longed to go back to the way they had been before, when neither of them had been weighed down by the burdens of the past. Go back to being boyfriend and girlfriend, best friends and lovers. Unfortunately, they weren’t the same people anymore. It had been thirteen years since she left Munsey Park for England. An entire lifetime had passed and during that time, Rey had grown up.

  


They couldn't just fall back into their former patterns. Their relationship at age sixteen had been one of first love and a naive notion they would only ever belong to each other. It was the silly notion of a heart-struck teenager. Rey was no longer that girl. 

  


And she knew Phillip was no longer that boy.

  


Penny hadn’t hid her disdain for the youngest of the Altman clan, despite her attempts to shield Rey from them. Rey understood her friend meant well, but Penny’s view was biased. She had been the only one other than Rey and Phillip who knew the whole story — the full story...until she had shared it with Judd. 

  


Once Judd found out the truth about that night, things changed dramatically in his relationship with Rey. Like his soon-to-be wife, he had grown more protective and often invited her to stay for dinner or drop by just to visit. He and Penny had even invited Rey for their vacation to Rehoboth beach last summer, claiming she needed to get away. 

  


Rey had turned them down. She didn’t want their pity and she was too proud for charity. Despite her rejection, she loved them both for being so loyal to her. They were good friends. 

  


Like her NYU crew, Judd and Penny were her family, now that her blood relatives were all gone. 

  


The thought of her grandfather made her a bit misty-eyed. It had been three years. Regardless, the pain of his absence still left a hollow space in her chest. 

  


Obi had been diagnosed with liver cancer in 2010, just as Rey was graduating from NYU. A few years later, they found the cancer had spread to his prostate. It wasn’t long afterwards that he succumbed to the illness. 

  


Hux had been the one to take her home, not allowing her to spend a dime as he helped her arrange the funeral. After he turned twenty five, his trust fund was released, giving Hux plenty of financial backing. Had he not wished to work he wouldn’t have had to, but unlike his father, Armitage put the money away. Flying Rey home for Obi had been the most he had spent since being awarded his monies. 

  


Hux had gone with her to pick up Obi, held her hand while she cried, wrought with guilt for not being with him in his final days. He stayed with her the first night in her hotel room, forcing her to eat small bites of something that resembled beef stew. He assisted in all the details for the mass and burial. 

  


Being back in England was difficult for both of them. When they left, they agreed they’d never go back. Their birth nation held too many bad memories for them. They started applications for citizenship in the United States the next week. 

  


Rey was proud of her status as a an American citizen. It was a privilege she would have never been granted had it not been for the support of her self-made family. However, all the love and support they gave her only went so far. None of them could fill the gaping hole left when Phillip Altman had broken her heart. 

  


A selfish, reckless part of her wanted him. Even now, after he had admitted to lying to protect himself, she longed to feel his plush lips against her own. It was as if her body was starved for touch — not any touch, just Phillip’s.

  


It was ridiculous. Rey recognized she was making a fatal mistake. She trusted him once before and it had backfired magnificently right in her face. Any lasting feelings she had for Phillip needed to be locked away for the sake of Penny’s wedding and Rey’s heart. 

  


They could be friends...but _just_ friends. 

  


She could do that, right? 

  


_Right?_

  


* * *

 

 

The next morning was Sunday and Rey spent it lounging in her bed. Her hair was pulled up in a sloppy bun. She was still in her pajamas, despite the fact it was after noon. There was no need to put on normal clothes. As Hux predicted, Rose had spent the night at Finn’s.

  


Rey ran through her lesson plan for her Tuesday class when her phone vibrated on her bedside table. Without looking at her screen, she reached over for the phone, brining it onto her bed, which looked more like her desk at the moment. There were papers scattered about around her legs and her laptop. She was surrounded in a half-circle by all her documentation. 

  


When her eyes drifted to the screen she caught the sender’s name and nearly dumped her laptop off her lap. 

  


Phillip Altman.

  


Rey couldn’t stop her breath from catching or tamp down her instinct to check her hair. She had a serious cowlick from bed head. Real sexy, Kenobi.

  


Hesitantly, she unlocked her screen and pulled up the message. 

  


**Phillip Altman:** Do you remember these? 

  


She scanned the attached image, immediately recognizing the small circular pieces of laminated cardboard. 

  


**Rey Kenobi:** POGS!!! :D OMG!!! Where did you even find these?

  


Almost immediately, Phillip texted her back, as if he was waiting for her to respond. 

  


**Phillip Altman:** Basement. Mom has me cleaning out all the old junk today. 

  


There was a pause before she saw the three dots appear, indicating he was typing out another message. 

  


**Phillip Altman:** What are you up to?

  


Rey worried on her bottom lip. While the question itself was harmless, entering a text conversation with Phillip was tempting fate. They could be friends, if only for the purpose of ensuring a smooth, drama-free wedding for Judd and Penny, but beyond that...beyond that Rey had to keep her distance.

  


Placing the phone face down on her comforter, she forced herself to resume working on her Tuesday presentation. She was planning on discussing kinematics and Grashoff’s Law. It was an entry level class at NYIT, part of the engineering curriculum, but she was trying to put a different spin on the dry content. 

  


As she added animations and YouTube videos to the slide deck, Rey pointedly ignored her phone laying within reach. It called to her like a siren song, seductive and soft, beckoning her to throw her inhibition to the wind and respond. 

  


“No,” she hissed out loud, pinching herself to maintain her focus. 

  


It didn’t work. 

  


Rey got through three slides before she caved and snatched her phone up. 

  


**Rey Kenobi:** Working on a PPT for work. Nothing special. 

  


Letting out a frustrated huff, she tossed her phone across the bed. It landed in the corner, just out of reach. 

  


She went back to the presentation, mind somewhat relaxed now that she had replied. That was until she heard the chime of a new text echo through her quiet bedroom. 

  


This time, she didn’t fight herself. Rey placed her laptop to the side and scrambled over to retrieve her phone. 

  


**Phillip Altman:** You could always join me in the basement.

  


The text shouldn’t have sounded as suggestive as it did, but Rey’s mind immediately went back to her sixteen year old self when she had been completely and totally head over heels in love with Phillip.

  


***

  


_“Where are we going?” she laughed as Phillip half-dragged her, half-led her to the basement door._

  


_“You’ll see,” he chuckled, slowing his pace as they started down the rickety wooden staircase._

  


_He grabbed her waist when she hit the bottom step, lifting her up and spinning her around before depositing her on the concrete floor. Phillip kept his hands on her as he leaned down and kissed her._

  


_Rey responded by running her fingers up his shoulders, along the curve of his neck, and into his hair. When she pulled on his tresses, Phillip let out a sound like a growl before picking her back up and setting her down on Judd’s radio desk._

  


_Setting one hand on each of her kneecaps, he separated her legs so he could stand between them. “Mmmm,” he nipped at her playfully. “Mom and Dad won’t be home tonight. They are going into the city for another book signing.”_

  


Cradle and All _was still at the top of the Bestseller’s List and it didn’t show any signs of slowing down. Rey was happy for Hilary’s success, even though it had negative impacts on her family. At least it offered her and Phillip some alone time after school._

  


_Alone time, which he seemed prepared to make the most of._

  


_She felt scared — not of Phillip or what they both clearly wanted to do, but the fear of the unknown. They had only kissed and felt one another before. They had never made it as far as the actual act and Rey was concerned it would change things for them._

  


_“Sweetheart,” he groaned, as one hand slid under her shirt and up to cup her breast through her bra._

  


_Rey canted her hips forward, the feel of him groping her igniting a fire within. She felt the heat race through her, burning away all her doubts and fears, as desire became the prominent drive behind her every move._

  


_They had been dancing around this for a couple of months now. Every time they got close enough to try, they were interrupted by one of the Altmans, which usually resulted in Phillip swearing up a storm._

  


_“I set the alarm system, just in case,” he whispered and Rey giggled, remembering how Wendy had burst into his bedroom last week, catching them in their underwear._

  


_Rey’s hand was  in his boxers while Phillip’s hands were  busy unclasping her bra. It was not the image she wanted Wendy to have of her, so she was thankful Phillip had the forethought to set up an early warning sign._

  


_His hand stilled under her shirt and his eyes remained lowered while he asked, “C-can I?” His voice hitched and she realized he was as nervous as she was._

  


_“Please,” she nodded, lost to her own lust._

  


_Phillip dipped underneath her bra, touching the creamy flesh of her breast for the first time. Rey let out a gasp, when his thumb ran over her nipple, instantly sparking a reaction. His eyes flew up to lock on hers and in the next second they were clinging to each other desperately as their lips crashed together._

  


_Rey’s hand started tugging at his pants, eagerly trying to undo his belt and free his straining erection. Phillip’s other hand had joined the first, ridding her of her shirt and then her bra, until she sat before him bare from the waist up._

  


_“Fuck,” he hissed against her mouth, leaning back only enough to take her in while she continued to struggle with his zipper._

  


_“Take those off,” she begged, turning her attention to her own pants, which she easily removed._

  


_Phillip took another step back, releasing her only long enough to shuck off his clothes until they were both barefoot and clad only in their underwear._

  


_“We can stop,” he told her, though his eyes were so dark she understood he wanted to do anything but stop._

  


_Rey’s fear about crossing the line — this line — with Phillip was barely a memory as she shook her head. “No,” she told him. “I don’t want to stop.”_

  


_Phillip cupped her face with both his hands, studying her face. “Are you sure? Because I’ll stop if you aren’t. I can get out of here and go take a cold shower...like now.”_

  


_“I’m ready,” she promised and Rey found as she said the words out loud, she was._

  


_Before her stood her best friend, the one person who cared for her unconditionally and who had been with her through everything over the past five years. Not even her parents could say that. No, only Phillip Altman had stood by her and she realized if she was going to cross this line, she wanted it to be with him — the boy she loved._

  


_“Alright,” he nodded._

  


_When Hilary and Mort came home hours later, they’d find Rey curled up against Phillip asleep on the couch upstairs and a rather meticulously cleaned basement._

  


***

  


Rey felt the heat radiating off her cheeks as she pulled herself from the memory of that day. 

  


Surely Phillip didn’t remember it or if he did, he hadn’t thought about it the way she had. Besides, it was wrong to remember such a time as fondly as she did. They agreed to be friends — to put aside the past in order to make Judd and Penny’s day special. 

  


To keep herself from typing something she’d later regret, Rey texted him back, hoping her reply came off as polite, but firm. 

  


**Rey Kenobi:** I have to get this done.

  


It was less than a minute before Phillip responded. 

  


**Phillip Altman:** You used to be more fun.

  


What was that supposed to mean? Rey stared at the text. Unable to control her impulse control at his challenge, she shot back.

  


**Rey Kenobi:** I’m fun!

  


**Phillip Altman:** Not anymore, you aren’t. Where is the girl who helped me strap rockets to my bike?

  


**Rey Kenobi:** Do you have a death wish?

  


**Phillip Altman:** Apparently

  


She wasn’t sure what that meant either. Was he trying to be funny? Rey failed to see the humor in blowing oneself up. 

  


**Phillip Altman:** How about I make it worth your while?

  


In the safety of her room, unseen by him or anyone else, Rey laughed, her smile practically taking over her whole face as she read his text.

  


**Rey Kenobi:** How?

  


**Phillip Altman:** I’ll take you to Jensen’s if you help me. 

  


Rey flopped backwards on her bed with a groan. Of course he would use her kryptonite against her. Phillip knew her weakness for the local ice cream parlor’s decadent treats. 

  


She bit her bottom lip as she weighed the pros and cons of driving over to the Altman house. On one hand, it would go a long way for her to help Phillip and be civil. On the other hand, it would be difficult to be alone with him while he lifted boxes in the cramped space. What if he got sweaty and took his shirt off?

  


Letting out another groan, she flung an arm over her face. The motion had the opposite effect she was trying for. Instead of keeping images from her mind, all she saw beyond her closed lids was snippets of her memories — Phillip’s large hands on her bare hips, his breath hot and heavy as it ran down the column of her throat and his moans when she touched him. 

  


“Ugh,” Rey twisted around in her bed, instantly regretting ever considering going over to the Altman house. Nothing good could come from her helping Phillip in that basement. Nothing. 

  


N-O-T-H

  


_Ding._

  


She unlocked her phone to another message. 

  


**Phillip Altman:** It’s Sunday so you know what that means...fresh hot fudge. ;)

  


Rey fought herself for another few moments, trying to tell herself she was an adult now and not ruled by the promise of sweets the way her former self had been. 

  


It didn’t work.

  


**Rey Kenobi:** Give me an hour.

  


* * *

 

 

Forty five minutes later, Rey stood in front of the Altman house. It was the exact home she once considered hers but now found herself terrified to enter. Why had she come here? In what universe was this a good idea? 

  


She started to turn around, making to bolt for her car and pretend she had never left her apartment. 

  


“Fifteen minutes early,” a smug voice called to her from the front porch. “Doesn’t your roommate let you have ice cream?”

  


Rey looked over to find Phillip casually leaning against one of the front columns, arms crossed over his chest as he stared down at her from his perch. His hair was tousled from his work and he was wearing a tight-fitted tee. 

  


_Dammit._

  


She knew it was a bad idea to come here. 

  


“So are you going to stand in the street all afternoon or are you actually going to help me?” He called, teasingly.

  


“Don’t push your luck,” she grunted out, stomping up the front walk. She repositioned her crossbody bag on her shoulder to give her something to focus on other than what Phillip’s arms looked like with a fine sheen of sweat covering them. 

  


_Stupid. Stupid. Stupid._

  


“Rey!”

  


The second she stepped over the threshold, Hilary grabbed her in an embrace. Rey winked as Hilary 2.0 crushed her with her enhancements. 

  


“Hi,” Rey half-greeted half-wheezed.

  


“It’s nice to see you again so soon, Rey,” Linda entered the foyer, smiling when Hilary put an arm around her waist. “We didn’t know you were coming. Are you staying for dinner?”

  


“Oh, um-.”

  


“Of course she is,” Phillip immediately interjected, “But first she’s going to help me downstairs.”

  


“Phillip!” Hilary snapped, smacking his arm. “Don’t tell me you invited the poor girl over to do your chores for you!”

  


“Mommy,” he whined and Rey couldn’t hold back her laugh. Mommy? What was he? Twelve? 

  


“It’s as much her mess as any of ours,” Phillip insisted. “She practically lived here.”

  


Rey felt her heart sink at his comment. She suspected he had invited her over to talk more and possibly try his luck at their ‘almost’ kiss again. But of course that wasn’t the reason. Phillip Altman didn’t care about her, regardless of what Hux thought. He was just trying to get someone to do his work for him. And even though she thought it was a bad idea to rekindle their romance, she still felt the sting of disappointment that it hadn't been Phillip's aim.

  


“It’s fine, Mrs. Altman,” she reassured Phillip’s mother. “I’m sure I’m to blame for some of the mess.”

  


“Nonsense! You were the tidiest child I had in this house,” Hilary waved a hand at Rey, “and don’t call me Mrs. Altman, it makes me feel old. Call me, Hilary.”

  


“Oh, alright,” Rey ran her tongue over her lips. “Thank you, Hilary.”

  


“I’m sorry my son is such a schmuck,” Hilary rolled her eyes. “Please stay for dinner. Linda is making her pot roast and I made enough mash potatoes to feed all my kids and grandkids.”

  


“I don’t want to intrude,” Rey tried to politely decline, but Hilary was already shaking her head.

  


“You’re family. Family intrudes. Just look at Phillip,” Hilary gestured to her youngest child. “He’s thirty and still living at home.”

  


Rey glanced at Phillip who had gone silent. His cheeks were burning and she caught a glimpse of the edges of his ears which were also red.

  


“It’s nice of him to make himself available for you and Linda. Must come in handy,” Rey pointed out. 

  


_Old habits die hard_ , she thought as soon as she realized what she had done. Just as she had when they were growing up, Rey was protecting Phillip, standing up for him whether the occasion called for it or not. 

  


“Right,” Hilary drawled, eyeing Rey, then her son. 

  


“Why don’t you two get to work and we’ll call down to you once dinner is ready?” Linda suggested, cutting the tension.

  


“Great,” Phillip responded acerbically.

  


Without even looking at Rey, he headed off towards the basement. Silently, she trailed after him, wondering if he was mad at her for speaking up. 

 

The basement held memories from a time she cherished, but just because she felt a connection to this place and that time in her life, didn't mean Phillip did. Rey shook her head to herself, wondering why she was such a glutton for punishment. She was foolish for coming here. When would she learn? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come say hi on tumbler [@wewantreylo](https://wewantreylo.tumblr.com/)


	7. Just As Amazing As I Remember

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Because she was a saint, Tracy ignored the fact he had called her at nine on a Sunday morning and allowed him to recount his reunion with his first (and only) love, including his impromptu night at her apartment where he apologized. 
> 
> “You’ve made a lot of progress,” Tracy congratulated him at the end of the story. 
> 
> “No, no,” he hurriedly replied. “I need her back. We can’t be friends. I don’t want to be friends. I want to be more than friends. I need you to tell me how to do that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my wonderful beta, [@GreyForceUser](https://greyforceuser.tumblr.com/) who continues to improve my writing with all her helpful suggestions.

****

 

When Phillip Altman woke up Sunday morning he had a renewed sense of purpose. After spending the night sulking over Rey’s use of the word ‘friend’ and trying to craft the perfect plan to get her back, he had broken down and called Tracy. 

  
  


“Our appointment isn’t until Tuesday, Phillip,” she reminded him, agitation heavy in her tone. 

  
  


“I know but I need help,” he heard himself practically beg. “It’s important. Rey’s back.”

  
  


“Rey Kenobi?” his therapist clarified. 

  
  


“There is only one Rey,” Phillip responded. 

  
  


Because she was a saint, Tracy ignored the fact he had called her at nine on a Sunday morning and allowed him to recount his reunion with his first (and only) love, including his impromptu night at her apartment where he apologized. 

  
  


“You’ve made a lot of progress,” Tracy congratulated him at the end of the story. 

  
  


“No, no,” he hurriedly replied. “I need her back. We can’t be friends. I don’t want to be friends. I want to be more than friends. I need you to tell me how to do that.”

  
  


“Phillip,” Tracy sighed in a disappointed tone. “You can’t make someone fall in love with you. I think it shows maturity that you and Rey managed to talk about this and agreed to put it behind you for the sake of Judd’s wedding. Be proud of yourself. You made the right decision.”

  
  


“But how do I get Rey back?” Phillip persisted, not caring about the fact Judd would have a perfect wedding to go along with his perfect little life. 

  
  


Judd was fine. He always had been fine. Phillip wanted to be fine too. And he could, if only he could convince Rey to give them a second chance. 

  
  


“Phillip-.”

  
  


“No, don’t tell me some psychiatrist mumbo jumbo,” he interrupted her, “I need real answers, Tracy. Are you going to help me or not?”

  
  


There was a pause, before she sighed, defeatedly. “Sometimes I don’t know why I bother with you,” she huffed, but he could tell she was going to humor him. 

  
  


“Because I’m your favorite patient?”

  
  


“Hardly,” she let out a hard laugh. “You have her number, right?”

  
  


“Yeah?”

  
  


“Why don’t you try meeting up with her?” Tracy suggested. “Start small and go from there.”

  
  


“I don’t want to start small,” he rebuked. “I’ve been thinking up things all night and nothing is good enough. I need to prove to her I’ve grown up and I’m different now.”

  
  


“What exactly do you want with Rey, Phillip?” Tracy questioned. 

  
  


“I want what I’ve always wanted,” he answered truthfully. “I want her.” 

  
  


“Just Rey?’ Tracy pushed, clearly knowing there was more to it than that. 

  
  


He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he thought about how his desire for Rey encompassed more than just his carnal needs. “She was a part of my family once and I was her family. I want that. I want to be a family with Rey.” 

  
  


“Phillip,” Tracy said his name softly, as if she was preparing to lessen her incoming blow. “You know that won’t happen overnight. What you want with Rey won’t happen by falling into bed with her. You can’t behave the way you have in the past.”

  
  


“I’m not!!” 

  
  


“Yes,” Tracy insisted, “yes, you are. You are thinking about the quickest way to get there, not the right way to get there.” 

  
  


“It’s only quick because we’ve known each other our whole lives.”

  
  


“No,” Tracy corrected him firmly. “You are missing over a decade. You can’t just skip over the time you’ve spent apart. If you want this to last beyond a one night stand, you need to slow it down.” 

  
  


“Slow it down?” 

  
  


“What you need to do is establish trust. You lost her trust the moment you chose to kiss someone else and then abandoned her at her most vulnerable. If you are serious about wanting a life with Rey, you need to start over, Phillip. Build a balanced relationship this time — one built on a solid foundation of trust. Be honest with her about everything about yourself and allow her the opportunity to do the same. No gimmicks. No drama. Just let it be the two of you as you are.”

  
  


His initial plan had been to take Rey out to a nice dinner, get her alone so he could talk to her more and then take her to her favorite ice cream parlor for dessert. Tracy’s feedback hadn’t indicated he couldn’t do that. Ok, well maybe Tracy’s input had Phillip rethinking making a reservation at an expensive place in the city (which wasn’t within his budget) or renting a limo to take them out. Grand gestures were meant for special occasions and if he wanted to spend any of those with Rey he first needed to get her to agree to spending more time with him. 

  
  


“Thanks, Tracy.”

  
  


“Don’t mention it.” 

  
  


“You’re the best.”

  
  


“No really,” she insisted. “Don’t mention it  _ and  _ don’t call me on a Sunday morning again, Phillip. I’m counting this as your session this week.” 

  
  


“Fine, whatever,” he agreed and disconnected the call. 

  
  


If he couldn’t take her to dinner in the city, the least he could do was take her to dinner at Walker’s. He got up, got showered and got dressed, all the while not noticing how energized he was or how early he was up for the first time in recent memory. 

  
  


Phillip was prepared to ask Linda to borrow her car, when his mother stopped him in the hallway. “And where are you off to?”

  
  


“Nowhere.”

  
  


“Nowhere, huh?” Hilary crossed her arms over her chest. “Doesn’t look like nowhere.”

  
  


“I need to borrow the car,” he admitted. 

  
  


“Again? You just had it last night. Can’t you walk?”  

  
  


“I’m not going to the store, Mom,” Phillip sighed, running a hand through his hair. 

  
  


“Then where are you off to on a Sunday?” his mother persisted. 

  
  


“To see a friend,” he relented, trying to move past his mother to speak to her less intrusive girlfriend. 

  
  


Hilary stepped in front of him, never one to back down. “The same friend you spent last night with?” 

  
  


“Mommy,” he groaned, falling back on his childhood name for her. It usually softened her up a bit. “Please.” 

  
  


“Who is it, Phillip? I have a right to know.”

  
  


“What the hell does that mean?”

  
  


“It means when your son is still living under your roof at thirty, you get to ask questions,” his mother insisted. 

  
  


“No, it doesn’t.” 

  
  


“Do you want to ask one of your siblings if you can move in with them?” she challenged him back. 

  
  


“Fine!” he snapped. “It’s Rey. Happy now?” Hilary’s eyes widened and she stared at him, clearly uncertain how to respond. “Can I borrow the car?” 

  
  


“Phillip,” his mother shook her head, “I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to get involved with her again. Wendy told me what happened yesterday.” 

  
  


Of course his sister would tell their mother. Wendy and Hilary had been always been close, despite Hilary’s book and the success of it. The two female Altmans had only grown closer since Wendy moved back to Munsey Park. 

  
  


“Listen,” his mother bargained with him. “If you make the basement manageable, I’ll let you take the car. Deal?”

  
  


“Deal,” he told her, rushing down the steps to take care of business so he could go see Rey. 

  
  


When Phillip reached the dimly lit storage space, he groaned. Hilary had been on him to clean out the basement for months and now he knew why. The place was a disaster area. It was a cluttered mess of all the Altman siblings' items from their formative years, including Phillip’s Pokemon cards, endless cases of CDs and the ultimate 90’s kid fad: POGS. 

  
  


The moment he saw those useless pieces of cardboard, he was determined to salvage the afternoon. 

  
  


* * *

 

When Rey pulled up, he could barely contain his nervous excitement. Phillip expected her to turn him down. If she truly wanted Jensen’s so badly, there was nothing stopping her from going to grab some by herself, yet here she was, willing to spend the afternoon with him. It gave him hope. 

  
  


After his mother made him feel like a fool, he was finally alone with her. That was when the reality of the situation hit him. Cleaning the basement was a far cry from the fancy dinner he had envisioned. But Rey was here, helping him shift through box after box of clutter. True, it wasn’t the grand romantic gesture he had initially wanted to do, but at least she was here and they weren’t fighting. Apparently, Tracy knew what she was talking about. Unfortunately, Phillip didn’t know what to talk about. 

  
  


“Did you get your presentation done?” Phillip asked, as he removed a large Tupperware bin from the top shelf. 

  
  


“Yep,” Rey replied with a smile. She was elbows deep in a collection of old year books and other school memorabilia. Too engrossed by the collection, she didn’t bother to look at him when she replied. 

  
  


Phillip swallowed, trying to think of what else he could ask. Tracy had mentioned he should focus on Rey — her likes and dislikes — who she was as a person now. He felt silly asking such general questions. These were all things he should know. He wanted to build a life with her, but each time he tried to take a step forward, he felt as though he was actually taking two steps back. Regardless, Phillip continued to ask, if only to hear her voice. 

  
  


“Do you like your job?”

  
  


Rey glanced over at him, still smiling. “I love it! It was a bit intimidating at first. Most of my students are only a few years younger than me, but Skywalker Industries gave me a once in a lifetime opportunity. I have a lot of street cred from working with them,” she winked.

  
  


He had absolutely no idea what that meant and made a mental note to Google Skywalker Industries later. 

  
  


“How is the store?” she questioned, eyes still on him. 

  
  


Shrugging nonchalantly, he told her about how Paul had calmed down considerably since Annie got pregnant. “Who knew all the bastard needed was a few kids?” he joked. 

  
  


“It’s nice he trusts you to run things while he focuses on home. Paul always was a family man. I’m glad he and Annie are happy together,” Rey responded. 

  
  


“Yeah,” Phillip muttered because what else was he supposed to say to that? 

  
  


Of course his eldest brother was happy. Paul had always done everything by the book. He was the classic first born son, leader of the Altman clan, self-righteous as fuck and an all around pain in Phillip’s ass. But of course he was happy with a loving wife and a gaggle of little babies. 

  
  


And Phillip was...living at home with his mother at thirty and pining after his high school sweetheart. Could fate be any crueler? 

  
  


“What about Wendy and Horry?” Rey asked, as she returned her attention to the yearbooks. 

  
  


She had one from Wendy’s senior year opened. There was a picture of Wendy and Horry from the prom on a full page spread. It was the happiest he had seen his sister. Horry has always brought out the best in Wendy. 

  
  


“Things were a mess for a real long time,” he admitted, thinking of how Wendy had fallen apart after the accident. 

  
  


Those were dark times, times he didn’t like to revisit because it was the first time he had ever seen his fiercest sibling crumble. Losing Horry after the accident had ruined her. At her first chance, she had taken off for college, where she met Barry. They were married the fall after her college graduation and things had been good for a while. 

  
  


But Wendy’s heart had always belonged to Horry and her attempt to cover up all her pain by moving on didn’t last. Barry turned into a workaholic, unable to cope and eventually both became so frustrated that they couldn’t reconcile. It had been a train wreck. 

  
  


Phillip had been relieved when she decided to move back. Wendy deserved to be happy. She deserved to be with her first love. 

  
  


It wasn’t until he thought back on her rollercoaster relationship status he saw the parallels to what he was experiencing with Rey. Could he dare to hope for a similarly pleasant ending? 

  
  


“Phillip?” Rey’s hand was on his arm and he realized he had trailed off, never fully answering her question.

  
  


“Yeah, sorry,” he chuckled, trying in vain to ignore how wonderful it felt to feel her touch him. “She’s with Horry now. That’s all that matters.”

  
  


Rey nodded, her eyes searching his face, as if she was attempting to determine if that was all he wanted to say. It wasn’t but he heeded Tracy’s advice. He needed to take things slow if he wanted a lasting relationship with Rey. 

  
  


“Your mom seems happy too,” she commented, dropping her hand and going back to her box. “Everyone got their happy ending.”

  
  


_ Everyone but me _ , he thought bitterly. For a moment he watched her, kneeling on the cold cement floor helping him with this task. What had he been thinking? Asking her to help him do his chores was beyond childish. There was no way this was going to help them move forward. He needed to fix this. 

  
  


“After we’re done here, do you want to go to dinner?” he offered. “My treat since I’m forcing you to do manual labor on your day off.” 

  
  


Rey laughed. God, he had missed that sound — so light, so pure. “What about your mom and Linda?”

  
  


“They won’t care,” he lied. 

  
  


Rey didn’t buy it. “Hmmm, if I know Hilary Altman, her word is law. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone besides your sister stand up to her. She’s a force to be reckoned with.” Phillip wracked his brain to think of a good comeback but before he could, she spoke again. “But I’m still up for ice cream, if you are.”

  
  


Right! How could he forget. He had promised to take her to Jensen’s for one of their famous hot fudge sundaes. “It’s a date,” he replied, before he realized what he had said out loud. 

  
  


“Sounds like a plan,” Rey responded, but she had turned away from him. Phillip wasn’t able to see her face. 

  
  


If he had, he would have noticed the scarlet blush which adorned her cheeks. 

  
  


* * *

 

They worked through about a third of the clutter before Hilary called down to announce dinner. 

  
  


Despite the semi-awkward silence which had followed his use of the word ‘date’, he and Rey had fallen into their old habit of speaking freely with one another. They discussed their favorite memories from high school, carefully avoiding any mention of either Charles or Chelsea. 

  
  


The only hitch was when Phillip had asked about her new friends, unable to quell his curiosity about the redhead who was with her the night prior. 

  
  


Rey paused, clearly uncertain how to proceed into this new territory. They hadn’t spoken much about their time apart or what they were doing now besides their jobs. Those topics had all felt safe — familiar — but they were entering uncharted territory now. 

  
  


After a moment, she told him about her international students group at NYU and how she was still extremely close to several members. They appeared to be her only friends besides Judd and Penny. Phillip was hesitant to bring up his brother and Penny solely because it made him recall the promise he made — the promise he was considering breaking. 

  
  


It wasn’t that he wanted to disappoint Judd but had he known Rey was in the bridal party, Phillip knew he never would have agreed to Judd’s terms. There was no way he could stay away from her now that she was back and willing to be around him. 

  
  


No, Phillip would die before he lost her again. 

  
  


They washed up before joining his mother and Linda in the kitchen. Hilary only used the dining room for special occasions, like when the entire clan came home for Hanukkah-Christmas, since they were decidedly neither fully Jewish or fully atheists.

  
  


Rey followed him into the kitchen, just as Linda finished setting the counter top with four plates and sets of utensils. Hilary was pulling the roast out of the oven, cooing over it as if the verbal praise would ensure it was a good meal. 

  
  


Phillip rolled his eyes, thus earning himself a smack from Linda. Rey whipped around, eyeing their exchange but said nothing. She moved to take the seat on the end and Phillip hurried over to pull out the stool for her. 

  
  


“Thank you,” she smiled up at him and he felt his heart stutter in his chest. How had he ever thought she wronged him? She wouldn’t hurt a fly. She was perfect. 

  
  


“Phillip,” his mother called him over to help with putting the food on the counter. 

  
  


Once the food was set out, Philip took the open seat next to Rey, grinning over at her as he did. She looked so right sitting in his childhood home again — with him. 

  
  


Along with the roast, Linda made mashed potatoes, green beans, and prepared a garden salad filled vegetables from the backyard. It looked like something out of a Martha Stewart magazine, which was what Phillip was sure his mother had been angling for. 

  
  


They all sat down and began passing around the dishes, each helping themselves to the feast before them. 

  
  


“So Rey,” Hilary was he first to speak, “are you seeing anyone? Lovely girl like you with her head on straight. I’m sure the men are lining up around the block to date you.” 

  
  


Phillip started choking on his forkful of pot roast. Leave it to his mother to get right to the point. She always did love to make things interesting. It was as if her sole mission in life was to torture her children — death by embarrassment. 

  
  


Rey began smacking the palm of her hand against his back, trying to help him clear his airway. “Are you alright?”

  
  


“F-fine,” he managed, glaring at his mother over the rim of his water glass. “Would you let it go, Mom?”

  
  


“I’m only getting reacquainted with Rey, Phillip,” she waved him off, ignoring his narrowed eyes. “Don’t get so defensive.” 

  
  


“I know it may come as a surprise to you, but some people do have private lives,” he argued. “Do you even know what that word means, mom? Private?” 

  
  


“I wrote a bestseller, dear. Of course I know what the word means,” she huffed. 

  
  


Phillip opened his mouth to tell her to lay off, when he felt a hand on his arm. Rey was gazing up at him, her eyes full of understanding. “It’s fine,” she told him, softly. “Really.” He relaxed, somewhat, unable to tear his attention away from her, even as she met his mother’s eyes across the counter. “I’m not seeing anyone,” Rey admitted. 

  
  


“That’s too bad,” Hilary replied. “There aren’t many options around here, now that Judd and Penny are getting married. All of my kids are paired off now.” 

  
  


_ Thanks, Mom _ , Phillip seethed internally.  _ You must have forgotten about your very single son who is sitting right here. _

  
  


“Oh,” Rey replied, quietly. Phillip didn’t miss the way her smile faltered after his mother’s words or how her chin dropped ever so slightly.

  
  


“Except for Phillip,” Linda added, shooting a smile across the table at both him and Rey. 

  
  


“Oh,” Rey repeated, though this time brighter. She kept her head down and suddenly became very interested in her dinner. 

  
  


Phillip watched her for a moment, before he met Linda’s knowing look. Maybe there was a chance Rey wanted to be more than friends. Maybe — just maybe — she wanted a do-over too. 

  
  


* * *

 

 

Since his mother and Linda had made dinner, Rey volunteered herself and Phillip to do the dishes. The older women left them alone to clean up, going out onto the back deck to enjoy the fresh air.

  
  


While his mother and Linda went to town on a bottle of red, Rey filled the double sink with scalding hot water. Phillip made himself useful by bringing over the remainder of the dishes. They worked in silence for a time, Rey scrubbing each piece of flatware and glass until it was void of any trace of their meal. He stood next to her, drying each item carefully before returning it to its rightful home in the kitchen. 

  
  


Phillip kept thinking on Rey’s reaction over his relationship status. When they had talked the night prior he hadn’t actually confirmed if she was seeing anyone. He had just assumed. He was glad to know there wasn’t anyone standing in his way of attempting to be with her. Of course, up until Linda’s clarification, Phillip hadn’t once considered the possibility of Rey wondering the same of him. 

  
  


Now it was all he could think about.

  
  


His disastrous attempt at a date needed to be salvaged from the awkward dinner his mother had forced them into. He needed to get Rey out of the house and alone with him so they could get back to the familiar comfort of being together as they had before. 

  
  


“So Jensen’s after this?” Phillip offered.

  
  


“You did promise,” Rey reminded him. “I mean why did you think I came over? For you?”

  
  


Phillip blanched for a moment. Then Rey began laughing. 

  
  


“You haven’t changed at all,” he grumbled, trying to contain his smile. 

  
  


“Neither have you.”

  
  
  


* * *

 

 

Jensen’s has a line out the door by the time they arrive. Since the weather was a balmy 75 degrees and it was a Sunday evening, it was prime time for the ice cream parlor to sell. 

  
  


Rey’s eyes were fixated on the creamery’s confections through their large display windows. Phillip’s eyes were completely glued to Rey. Her face was lit up, excited and youthful as she scanned the options which awaited them inside. 

  
  


“What flavor are you getting?” she asked, practically bouncing as they stood in line.

  
  


He scoffed. “Come on, Kenobi,” Phillip teased. “I thought you were my best friend. You don’t remember my favorite flavor?”

  
  


She pretended to ponder over it for a moment before laughing, as she announced, “Rocky Road!” He nodded and she flashed him a smile full of pearly whites. “Glad to know some things never change. Now...do you remember mine?”

  
  


He rolled his eyes dramatically with a sigh. “Ugh, how could I forget? The absolute worst flavor ever: mint chocolate chip.”

  
  


“Hey!” Rey poked an angry finger into his chest. “Don’t diss the mint.”

  
  


“It’s not a real ice cream flavor,” he goaded her.

  
  


“Is too!”

  
  


“It is for little kids,” he condescended playfully, “but I guess that works. You’re still kinda scrawny.”

  
  


“Am not!” Rey crossed her arms in front of her chest and jutted her chin out at him defiantly. “You take that back, Phillip Altman.”

  
  


“Or what?” he pushed, as they stepped forward in the line. 

  
  


“Or I am going to tell your mother about what really happened the night of Wendy’s prom,” she wiggled her eyebrows at him. 

  
  


Phillip paled, remembering exactly which night and exactly what event she was referring to. “You wouldn’t.”

  
  


“Oh, I would,” she promised with a devilish grin.

  
  


Just then the clerk called them forward to order. Phillip told the high schooler what they would like and handed over a twenty. 

  
  


“You don’t have to pay,” Rey insisted.

  
  


“This is a date, Kenobi,” he told her, his tone teasing despite the sincerity of his words. “When a guy asks a girl out, he should pay.”

  
  


Rey’s face darkened with her blush as her lips curled up in a smile. The sight filed his chest with pride, a warm feeling which took over his whole body. He had done that. He had made her happy. 

  
  


She thanked him, then thanked the clerk when the teenager handed her a dish with mint chocolate chip ice cream piled high with hot fudge. 

  
  


Phillip grinned, watching her eyes light up even more at the treat in her hands. For a second, she was eleven again and they were enjoying their first ice cream of the season with Mort. His father had taken to bringing them here together, just the three of them on Friday afternoons once they got off the bus from school. It had become a tradition for Phillip and Rey — one he was happy to share with her once again. 

  
  


Once he had his rocky road, they slipped out of the crowded shop and outside to a vacant bench along the sidewalk. 

  
  


“Oh my God!” Rey squealed, humming happily around the spoonful of her dessert. “It’s just as amazing as I remember!” 

  
  


Phillip couldn’t remember how delicious his ice cream was or even if he finished it. He spent the entire evening watching Rey, thinking she was right. 

  
  


She was just as amazing as he remembered. Maybe even more so. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My RFFA submission for the Two Solitudes Meet collection is up: [Ultraviolet](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15936434).
> 
> Come say hi on tumbler [@wewantreylo](https://wewantreylo.tumblr.com/)


	8. From May Be to Will Be

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey's friends noticed the change in her. Hux wore a perpetually smug grin when he was in her presence, his eyes saying ‘I told you so’. The others were happy she had cleared the air with her childhood friend. As long as she was happy, they were on board. 
> 
> Life was good. 
> 
> Until the first Sunday in June.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my super dedicated beta, [@GreyForceUser](https://greyforceuser.tumblr.com/) who not only corrects all my typos but whose comments give me life!
> 
> A HUGE shout-out to the amazingly talented [@SpiegatrixLestrange](https://spiegatrixlestrange.tumblr.com/) for the beautiful fanart you can find at the end of this chapter. If you're not already, go follow her on tumblr. Her art is GORGEOUS!

 

 

After their ‘date’ at Jensen’s, Sunday’s together became a regular occurrence. Over the next few weeks, Rey and Phillip met up at the Altman house to dig through old memories and junk, helping Hilary clean out the basement while simultaneously visiting their favorite childhood moments. 

 

Hilary and Linda were all too happy to have constant dinner companions and Rey found herself falling back into the comfort of the family dynamic. It helped that each meeting ended on a sweet note...literally. 

 

Phillip insisted on taking her to Jensen’s each Sunday evening. They’d stand in line catching up on their week and teasing one another mercilessly about their choice in ice cream flavors. 

 

Rey's friends noticed the change in her. Hux wore a perpetually smug grin when he was in her presence, his eyes saying ‘I told you so’. The others were happy she had cleared the air with her childhood friend. As long as she was happy, they were on board. 

 

Life was good. 

 

Until the first Sunday in June. 

 

The day started out just like every other Sunday, with Rey sleeping in and preparing for her classes. The summer sessions had begun and she only had one class to teach, so the prep work was minimal. 

 

When she got up to make a cup of coffee, her phone rang. Knowing who it was, Rey slid the lock screen off to answer, cradling the phone between her cheek and shoulder as she poured her coffee. 

 

“Morning,” she greeted in a sing-song voice.

 

“Rey?”

 

She nearly dropped her phone. It wasn’t Phillip, as she had suspected, but Penny. 

 

“Penny,” Rey’s goofy grin fell off her face, as she grabbed the phone in one hand. “Hey.”

 

“Are you alright?” Penny asked. “You sound kind of funny.”

 

“I’m fine. It’s fine. Just getting coffee,” Rey rambled, taking her steamy cup of java back into her room. 

 

“Ok,” Penny drawled, but if she was suspicious it wasn’t enough to question Rey. “I was wondering if you could watch Maple today. Judd and I got a call from the Lake House Inn. They’ve had a cancellation and we need to go sign paperwork and discuss some details if we want to nab the date.”

 

“Wow, Penny,” Rey breathed, happy for her friend. “That’s amazing! I’m so excited for you.”

 

“Yeah,” Penny laughed a little on the other end. “We weren’t expecting it, but we are going to go for it.”

 

“You should,” Rey’s agreed.

 

She knew Penny had her heart set on this particular venue but by the time her and Judd had gotten around to calling them, their calendar was all booked up. Penny deserved her dream wedding. If she had a shot at it, Rey was prepared to do what she could to assist. 

 

“What time do you need me there?” she asked Penny. 

 

“Can you be here in an hour?” Penny queried back. “We’ll give Maple lunch before we go. Could you get her dinner and put her to bed later? I’m not sure how long we’ll be. We are also going to check out the surrounding area for our out-of-town guests while we are up there.”

 

“Sure,” Rey promised. “I’ll be there.”

 

After they ended their call, Rey immediately shot a text to Phillip that she needed to cancel on their day to take care of her niece. She left it at that, knowing Phillip’s relationship with Maple was basically nonexistent. 

 

Imagine her surprise when she got a reply text a second later. Rey shrugged on a tank top as she padded over to where she had tossed her phone atop her bedspread.

 

 **Phillip Altman:** Pick me up on the way. I’ll help you.

 

 **Rey Kenobi:** You don’t even like kids. 

 

 **Phillip Altman:** No, but I like you. 

 

Rey didn’t know how to respond to that. She had noticed how he looked at her when they were together. She would have to be blind not to notice, but her self-preservation kept her from acting on it. If Phillip was thinking of starting something with her, he hadn’t made a move yet. Either he didn’t actually want Rey or he was waiting for her to give him the green light. Rey wasn’t sure which she preferred to be the case. 

 

Her phone dinged, signaling another message. 

 

 **Phillip Altman:** And she is my niece, so I should probably get to know the little rugrat. 

 

Despite herself, Rey laughed. 

 

 **Rey Kenobi:** Be ready in 10.

 

* * *

 

 

When Rey arrived at Hilary Altman’s house, Phillip was already waiting for her on the stoop. 

 

Despite the fact they had spent the last few weekends together, Rey still felt jittery each time she saw him. Her body reacted to the sight of him, regardless of what he was wearing — jeans, sweat pants, or that one time she had come over and he was in board shorts from having just finished washing Wendy’s car. She had let her kids hose the vehicle (and Phillip) down, which had made for a rather interesting afternoon for Rey.

 

Denying her attraction to him when she saw him soaked through was impossible.

 

Rey was glad to find he was wearing jeans today. He had paired them with a red striped v-neck and sneakers, which was appropriate. He needed to be comfortable if they were going to be running around with Maple all day. Last time Rey watched her, they had crawled around on the floor, pretending they were trains chugging along through the house. 

 

Crawling around the floor with Phillip was sure to be as challenging as seeing him dripping wet and shirtless in his board shorts. They’d be the same height and there would be nothing in her way if she just happened to bump headfirst into him and...

 

_No._

 

She reminded herself they were spending the day taking care of her niece and such thoughts would only get her in trouble. Rey couldn’t pursue Phillip and he couldn't pursue her. She had learned her lesson. 

 

Hadn’t she? 

 

“Hey,” Phillip greeted her as he got in her car.

 

“Hey,” Rey smiled over at him, as he buckled in. “I’m surprised Hilary gave you the day off,” she teased him about his basement project as she pulled away from the curb. 

 

“Since it’s for the wedding, she was more than happy to let me go,” Phillip replied. “Judd was always her favorite.”

 

Rey caught the scorn in his tone. Did he really believe that? She had been around the Altman clan long enough to know that while Hilary and Mort could play favorites from time to time, they loved each of their children completely. They would do anything for them.

 

Unlike Rey’s parents. 

 

“She’s just excited about the wedding,” Rey assured him. “Once Judd and Penny are official, she’ll calm down.”

 

Phillip glanced over at her, his expression unreadable. After a moment’s pause, he nodded. “Yeah,” he ran a hand through his hair, “Yeah, you’re right.”

 

They fell into companionable silence, as Rey drove to Judd and Penny’s house. The radio was playing alternative rock, but Rey didn’t really hear any of it. She was too focused on controlling her breathing. 

 

Up until now she had been surprised, if not touched, by Phillip’s decision to join her while she babysat. However, the reality of the situation caught up with her as she realized she would have to face Penny with Phillip in tow. Rey knew her friend was sure to have an opinion on her choice to be friends with her ex. 

 

Aside of her, Phillip began to fidget. First he placed one arm on the car door, then dropped it back down to his side. After a moment, he placed both his hands on his knees, slowly rubbing them against his denim clad joints. 

 

“Everything alright?” she asked, finding it easier to breathe if she focused on something other than her growing anxiety. 

 

“Penny isn’t my biggest fan,” he admitted.

 

Rey couldn’t hold back her laugh. Penny had made it abundantly clear how much _not_ a fan of Phillip she was. In fact, Rey couldn’t recall a time her friend had used quite so many expletives in one sentence as when she described the youngest Altman sibling. 

 

“It’s not funny,” Phillip grumbled, petulantly. 

 

“It kinda is,” Rey continued to laugh, though under the humor her nerves spiked. 

 

Phillip was right. Penny didn’t like him. Having him show up unannounced, and with her no less, was sure to cause a scene. Suddenly, Rey wondered why she had agreed to let Phillip tag along. It wasn’t as though she needed an extra hand. She had practically raised herself until she was eleven and she had always taken care of Maple by herself before. 

 

“Just promise me one thing, Kenobi,” he leveled his eyes with her. 

 

“Alright.”

 

“If she murders me,” Phillip began dramatically, “you will give up your ridiculous infatuation with mint chocolate chip ice cream and enjoy true deliciousness: Rocky Road.”

 

“No way!” Rey shrieked. “That’s like the dark side of ice cream.”

 

“I bet you’d like it, if you tried it,” Phillip winked at her. 

 

Rey forced her gaze to return to the road, willing herself not to blush. 

 

Thankfully, they were approaching Judd and Penny’s street. She pulled the car up to the curb out front, not wanting to block them in since they were in a hurry to get to their destination. 

 

Rey led the way up the front walk to the entrance, rapping her knuckles against the wood in a sharp knock. 

 

The door opened to reveal Judd. “Rey,” he started to smile, but then stopped, his face falling as he saw Phillip come up behind her. “Phillip? What are you doing here?”

 

“I’m here to help,” Phillip responded, nonchalantly, placing his arm around Rey’s shoulders.

 

Judd stared at him, where his arm was currently resting on Rey and finally up to Rey. 

 

Before he could say anything, Rey heard footsteps and Judd stepped back, opening the door wider, as Penny came into view. 

 

“Rey! Thanks for coming over so fast. I was just about to-“ she stopped speaking the moment she saw Judd’s brother. 

 

“Hey Penny,” Phillip waved tentatively at her. 

 

“What the fuc-.”

 

“Hunny,” Judd interrupted his fiancée, his eyes drifting backwards to where Rey was sure Maple was. 

 

Penny sighed, glaring as she collected herself. “What are you doing here, Phillip?”

 

“Rey and I had plans,” he answered smoothly. “Since you interrupted them, I thought I’d tag along.”

 

Rey felt like she was about to melt into the steps, like the wicked witch from the Wizard of Oz. She had wanted to talk about things with Penny but she thought she’d have more time to come up with a convincing argument as to why this was a good idea. If the expression on Penny’s face was any indication, there was no argument Rey could have made to convince her friend. 

 

“Right,” Penny nodded skeptically, crossing her arms across her chest. “And I am going to the Olympics.”

 

“Mazel tov,” Phillip mock congratulated her, while wearing a shit-eating grin.

 

Penny’s eyes narrowed but just as she opened her mouth to address his snarky comment, Maple appeared.

 

“Aunt Rey!”

 

“Hey Maple Syrup,” Rey knelt down, scooping up her niece in a tight hug. “How is my little star pilot today?”

 

Maple clung to Rey, before pulling back to gaze up at the imposing figure next to her aunt. “Who’s that?”

 

Rey glanced up at Phillip. A flicker of hurt passed over his eyes before he covered it up with his typical arrogant grin. “Hey, Maple. Remember me? Uncle Phillip?”

 

 

Maple hid her face in Rey’s chest, curling into her. Rey laughed, running a hand down the child’s back reassuringly. “Maple,” she comforted her. “You remember your Uncle Phillip from the party?”

 

The child nodded. “The scary one,” she whispered to Rey. 

 

This time the pain was more apparent on Phillip’s face, but it gave Rey an idea. 

 

“You know, Maple,” she began, smiling at the little girl, “when I’m scared, I try to laugh.”

 

Maple slowly peered up at Rey, considering her words. Rey continued. “Take your Uncle Phillip, for instance. I don’t find him scary. You know why?” Maple shook her head. “Because he’s ticklish,” Rey told her, lowering her voice, as if it was a great secret. 

 

Maple’s eyes went wide and she glanced up at Phillip, who was watching the entire exchange with mute fascination. 

 

“Really?” Maple whispered back, appearing unsure as she took in her uncle’s massive height. 

 

Rey nodded. “Wanna see?” she offered. Maple nodded in turn, her complete focus on Rey as she reached over to Phillip’s leg and trailed her fingers along the underside of his knee. 

 

Immediately, Phillip jolted, causing Maple to squeal with laughter. Rey did it again, earning the same result and despite the fact Phillip was 100% faking the ordeal, the wonder in Maple’s orbs was anything but fake.

 

She shifted out of Rey’s hold and stood in front of her uncle, eyeing him before she followed Rey’s gesture, tickling his leg. Phillip let out a shout, jumping and Maple erupted into merry laughter. 

 

Rey straightened up, a pleased smile on her face. Judd appeared pleased as well. It was only Penny who remained unconvinced. 

 

“It’s fine,” Judd reassured her, putting an arm around her. “It’s only for the day.”

 

“It better be,” Penny commented, her eyes still narrowed at Phillip. Then to Rey she said, “We are going to talk about this when I get home.”

 

“Yes, Mom,” Rey teased, unable to resist. Penny was dear to her, but she wanted her to understand. They would talk. Later. 

 

Penny and Judd said their goodbyes to Maple, then headed off. 

 

Rey held the door open, gesturing to Phillip and Maple to get inside the house. Maple was too preoccupied with finding new places to tickle Phillip that he resorted to picking her up and carrying in the screaming child. 

 

Her screams were short-lived, because the second he set her down, she was clambering all over him, trying to find another spot to tickle. She delighted in how he flopped around on the floor and cried out each time she playfully attacked him. 

 

Rey watched in amusement, taking in the scene before her. Phillip was rolling around on the floor, allowing the four year old to chase him around, her grubby little fingers running all over him. Maple had completely forgotten all about her fear, finding it far more entertaining to assault the ‘scary’ man than hide from him.

 

At some point, she grabbed Phillip’s hair. It was an accident but the ‘ouch’ which followed was not. Phillip’s eyes found Rey’s and then he smirked. She knew that mischievous expression. 

 

“Maple,” he addressed his niece, instantly calm and utterly in control. “You know who else is ticklish?”

 

_No._

 

_No, he wouldn’t. Would he?_

 

He wrapped an arm around Maple, huddling around her to whisper, while Rey watched suspiciously. Suddenly Maple giggled and flung herself at Rey, knocking her aunt onto the floor and immediately tickling her stomach. 

 

_He would._

 

Unlike Phillip, Rey was actually ticklish. Each graze of Maple’s tiny fingers across her abdomen had her convulsing in laughter, as her legs kicked out. Her niece sat on the floor aside of her, assaulting her, while Phillip came to stand over them, grinning. 

 

He winked at Rey.

 

_Oh, it is on!_

 

Grabbing Maple to move her out of the way, Rey kicked behind Phillip’s kneecap, forcing him down to their level. 

 

“Dog pile,” Rey announced, tackling Phillip the rest of the way to the floor. Maple took in this new game and joined them, climbing on top of both her babysitters and declaring herself the victor. 

 

Rey laughed, sandwiched between Maple’s small form and Phillip’s back. He turned his head, gazing up over his shoulder at her. “Proud of yourself, Kenobi?”

 

“Very,” she spit her tongue out at him.

 

“I won!” Maple reminded them from her perch.

 

“That you did, my little star pilot,” Rey cheered. 

 

“Star pilot?” Phillip questioned from where he was pinned beneath the weight of them. 

 

“I’m raising Maple to be a Star Wars fan,” Rey answered proudly. “I took her to Comic Con last year as Wicket.”

 

“You didn’t?” he pretended to be appalled.

 

“Oh, I did,” Rey grinned. “And it was adorable. Everyone loved it.”

 

“Aunt Rey was a princess,” Maple stated. “The best Disney Princess. Princess Leia.”

 

Phillip let out a groan and Rey pretended not to be hurt by his disapproval. Star Wars had been their thing once. Mort had watched the films often. None of his other children cared for them, but to Phillip and Rey the space adventure was an epic escape. 

 

Even after Rey had been forced to move back across the Atlantic, she had kept alive her love of the film franchise. Last year had been the first time she had enough money to attend Comic Con. Since children under ten got free admission, she had offered to take Maple with her to give Judd and Penny a day off. 

 

“Who is your favorite Disney princess, Uncle Phillip?” Maple asked, still sitting on top of their dog pile. She was content and Rey took it as a win that she had addressed Phillip by his name instead of shying away from him. 

 

“I don’t have a favorite Disney princess,” he muttered. 

 

“Not even Jasmine?” Rey teased, cocking an eyebrow at him. She figured the princess who bared the most skin would ultimately be his favorite. 

 

“Ok, if I had to pick,” he sighed, “I like the new girl in the sequel trilogy.”

 

“Kira?” 

 

“Yeah,” he confirmed. 

 

“She’s not a princess,” Maple pointed out. 

 

“Not yet,” Phillip replied, “but she will be when she marries Kylo at the end of the trilogy.”

 

Rey beamed. She wanted Kylo and Kira to end up together at the end of the new installment. She felt it was what the entire trilogy had been building towards but she was impressed Phillip noticed the growing romance between the two, since they hadn’t done more than touch hands. 

 

“Aunt Rey, is that true?” Maple asked.

 

“I suppose it is,” Rey told her, sliding off of Phillip while picking up her niece. “After all, Kylo was born a prince.” 

 

“But he’s the bad guy,” Maple insisted.

 

“Just because people make bad decisions sometimes doesn’t make them bad people, Maple,” Rey informed the child, as she set her down. Straightening up, she caught Phillip’s gaze. 

 

No, one mistake didn’t make a villain. It just made things complicated. 

 

* * *

 

 

The remainder of the afternoon passed in much the same fashion as the start had. They rotated between pillow fights, tickle attacks, dog piles and building a fort in the living room with extra blankets, a few pillows and two of the dining room chairs. 

 

By six o’clock, they were all getting hungry, so Rey decided to make grilled cheese and tomato soup. Even though the summer weather was beginning to roll in, the meal was simple and a surefire way to please both the child she was watching and the childish man who had accompanied her. 

 

While she worked on their dinner, Phillip sat on the couch with Maple watching “Trolls” on Netflix.

 

Rey counted down the minutes until he realized it was a musical. Sure enough, by the second number, she heard his heavy footsteps as he joined her in the kitchen. 

 

“I can’t believe kids watch that shit,” Phillip commented, keeping his voice low so Maple wouldn’t hear. 

 

Suppressing a laugh, Rey smiled. “Don’t you ever watch Cole and Aleah?” 

 

“Wendy and Horry have built in child care with mom and Linda living across the street, so it doesn’t really come up,” he admitted. 

 

“When Moana came out, Maple watched it on repeat,” Rey told him. “We watched it four times in one weekend. By the time I went home I could recite the entire film from start to finish.”

 

Phillip gave her a horrified look. 

 

“Oh yeah,” Rey snickered. “Get ready. Kids are a mess.”

 

His expression changed then, as he studied her and she realized how she must have sounded. 

 

“I mean-.”

 

“I think you’d make a great mom,” Phillip cut her off, surprising her with his compliment. 

 

Her chest filled with warmth at his words. “Thanks,” she replied, before flipping the grilled cheese sandwiches over in the pan. “For what it’s worth, I think you’d make a great dad.”

 

“Ha,” he let out a short laugh, leaning back into the counter and running a hand through his hair. “No one wants that.”

 

“What? A child?”

 

“No,” he clarified. “My child. Can you imagine a mini me running around?”

 

Rey bit her bottom lip. She could. She had imagined it at least a dozen times since Maple and Phillip had started to bond. The more time he spent with her, the more the cogs in Rey’s head wound around, crafting images of tanned, freckles skinned kids with a messy mop of dark hair. 

 

She shook her head, erasing the thoughts from her mind, if only temporarily. 

 

“See,” he chuckled. “Even you don’t want to see that.”

 

“No,” Rey placed one hand over his, as she stared up at him. “I think you’ll have beautiful kids. You should give yourself more credit.”

 

Phillip locked onto her, his hand twisting in her hold to wrap around her wrist. He gave one sharp tug, drawing Rey to him. She gasped, dropping the spatula as she collided with his chest. 

 

“You give me more credit than I deserve,” he told her, brushing an errant strand of hair away from her face. “Why is that, Rey?”

 

She shrugged, attempting to pull back, but he kept her in place.

 

“Why? There must be a reason.”

 

Of course there was a reason. There were so many reasons, most of them why she shouldn’t care, not that she paid any attention to those. The longer Phillip stared at her the more Rey realized she was fighting a losing battle. 

 

Maybe it was stupid. Maybe it would end badly just like it had before. Maybe it would destroy her. 

 

_Maybe._

 

But maybe it would be amazing and perfect and everything she had dreamed about. 

 

“I-I...” 

 

She couldn’t get the words out.

 

“Don’t be afraid,” Phillip breathed the words across her face as he leaned down. “I feel it too.”

 

And then his lips were on hers and her hands were moving of their own accord, to lock behind his head. His hands on her waist held her against him, as he deepened the kiss, tilting her back slightly while running his tongue along the seam of her mouth. Rey permitted him access, forgetting about all the reasons why this shouldn’t work.

 

The second she did, she leapt past 'may be' to 'will be'.

* * *

Art by [@SpiegatrixLestrange](https://spiegatrixlestrange.tumblr.com)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come say hi on tumbler [@wewantreylo](https://wewantreylo.tumblr.com/)


	9. This is Where I Want to Be (With You)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phillip had died and gone to heaven. That was the only explanation for what was happening. He kissed Rey and she kissed him back. And it was the single most miraculous thing which had ever happened to him. 
> 
> So of course it went without saying that as soon as he realized his luck, something inevitably unlucky transpired.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my stellar beta, [@GreyForceUser](https://greyforceuser.tumblr.com/) who helped me come up with the title for this chapter. Titles are always a struggle for me!

**  
**   
Phillip had died and gone to heaven. That was the only explanation for what was happening. He kissed Rey and she kissed him back. And it was the single most miraculous thing which had ever happened to him.  


So of course it went without saying that as soon as he realized his luck, something inevitably unlucky transpired.  


“Aunt Rey?”  


At the sound of Maple’s voice, Rey jolted. She stepped back and Phillip released her. Taking in her flushed face and her wide eyes, he couldn’t help but smile. His grin quickly fell away, as she turned away from him and hurried to attend to her niece, well his niece...their niece?  


Phillip leaned back against the kitchen counter, groaning as he ran a hand through his hair. What was he doing?  


Over the last few weeks he had kept his desire for her in check. Phillip talked to Tracey almost daily, needing her guidance now more than ever to keep from making a colossal fool of himself. He was sure he still managed to come off as an idiot, but at least with Tracey’s help, he wasn’t the same reckless one he had been before Rey came back into his life.  


He was actually listening to his therapist, taking things slow. During his Sundays with Rey, Phillip made sure to put her first, always finding a way to tie their work in the basement to fonder times. He found that reliving memories of their youth put Rey at ease and eventually they had fallen into a comfortable rhythm.  


Phillip began to learn more about her life now, how she lived with one of her friends and co-workers. Rey often spoke of her friends, including the redheaded one Phillip still disliked to a great extent. That was until he found out Hux had been the one to take Rey back home for her grandfather’s funeral.  


As painful as it was to know he hadn’t been able to be there for her, Phillip was glad to know she had someone who held her hand through the experience. He may not like Hux, but Phillip couldn’t help but respect him for what he had done for Rey. The redhead was a good friend.  


Unlike him.  


Suddenly remembering the dinner Rey had been cooking, he removed the grilled cheese, now burned on the bottom. He’d eat that one. After all, it was his fault the bread toasted so thoroughly. Picking up where Rey left off, Phillip prepared another sandwich and stirred the tomato soup, savoring the smell of the fresh basil she had sprinkled in.  


When had his girl become such a clever little chef?  


A familiar pang hit him. He had missed so much of her life, so much of her. Phillip didn’t know when she had learned to cook or who from. He didn’t know where her first job had been or who had persuaded her to begin teaching, though with her demeanor, he was sure she was perfect at it.  


Likewise, Phillip hadn’t known her love of Star Wars continued to run as deep as his or that she believed the villain was actually a hero. That last part gave him hope. When she had spoken about Kylo Ren, there was a double meaning which hadn’t been lost on him. It gave him a sliver of hope.  


“Picking up my slack?”  


Phillip glanced over his shoulder to find Rey leaning against the door frame, watching him flip the new grilled cheese.  


“Someone had to make sure we didn’t all starve,” he joked back.  


“Mmm, thanks for that,” she laughed, moving to the fridge to grab the Brita pitcher. “Maple wanted to know if she could sleep in the fort we built until Judd and Penny got home.”  


“Oh?” Phillip wasn’t sure what the protocol was for his niece’s sleeping arrangements. Wendy was a bit lax when it came to her kids. However, he had a feeling Judd and Penny were different.  


“I told her I’d think about it,” Rey smiled, as she brought a glass of chilled water over to him.  


She had another in her opposite hand, which she took a long sip from as he stared at her. Rey’s cheeks were still slightly flushed and she seemed to be avoiding direct eye contact with him.  


Phillip accepted his drink with thanks, all too aware of her sudden change in demeanor.  


“Rey, I-.”  


“Aunt Rey.” He was interrupted once more by his young niece. “I’m hungry,” Maple whined as she entered the kitchen, one hand rubbing her stomach. 

  
“I know, Maple Syrup,” Rey smiled warmly at the child. “Dinner is almost ready. Why don’t you finish watching your movie and I’ll come get you once it’s done?”  


“Can I help?” Maple asked, peering up at Phillip as he flipped the grilled cheese once more. He was determined not to let this one burn.  


“Sure,” he answered before Rey could respond. She shot him a look. Was that the wrong thing to say?  


“Maple-,” Rey began, but the little girl had already begun to push one of the kitchen chairs over to the stove, so she could stand up next to her uncle.  


Phillip glanced over Maple's head at Rey, seeing a worried expression on her face. “I’ve got her,” he promised, trying to sooth her concern.  


“It’s hot,” Rey informed Maple, ignoring Phillip. “Don’t touch anything unless Uncle Phillip tells you to, ok?”  


“Ok,” Maple nodded.  


It clicked for him then. Maple was too young to be around the stove. He internally scolded himself for his lack of judgement. In his efforts to prove himself as an adult he had already made a grave error. What responsible adult allowed a four year old to cook on the stove? He groaned inwardly at his own foolishness.  


That was until he saw Maple’s eyes gleaming as she eagerly awaited her first task.  


Unlike Cole or Aleah, his youngest niece appeared to actually listen to direction. Maybe this wouldn’t be a total disaster.  


* * *

  
  
Finishing up dinner actually proved to be an all around great bonding experience for Phillip with both Rey and Maple.  


While he allowed Maple to stir the tomato soup — a task she deemed the most important — Rey stood behind the little girl, making sure to watch her every movement and keep her from falling off the chair. It kept Rey close to him as he finished up with the grilled cheese sandwiches.  


They ate together on the floor of the living room by their fort. Rey laid out a couple of table cloths for her indoor picnic in case of any spills. The three enjoyed their simple dinner together without — to Phillip’s immense pleasure — the sounds of “Trolls” playing in the background.  


Of course, the lack of overly sugar pop beats only lasted until dinner was over. Once Maple finished her dinner, the movie was back on. Phillip had never been more happy to do dishes in his life.  


“You did great,” Rey complimented him, as she joined him to dry. Even though they weren’t at his house, they fell into their standard Sunday evening routine. “Maple loves to help,” Rey continued. “She likes to be an adult.”  


“Well good,” he chuckled. “Maple can be the adult and I’ll go back to being four. Life was easier then.”  


Rey laughed, her gloriously light and sweet laugh that undid him every time. “You’re doing fine, Phillip.”  


He felt his prior joy at having her in his arms dissipate. If only she knew. Phillip had improved over the last few years, mostly thanks to Tracey’s constant badgering and Judd convincing Paul to let him help run the store. Regardless, there was still the fact he didn’t own a car or his own place. What self-respecting adult his age still lived with his mother and didn’t drive?  


“Phillip?”  


Glancing down, he noticed Rey’s hand on his arm, her eyes searching his face tentatively. “What’s wrong?”  


“I’m a mess, Rey,” he admitted. “I shouldn’t have kissed you. That was out of line. I wasn’t thinking.”  


“Oh,” Rey pulled her hand away instantly, turning away from him to put away the plates.  


With her back to him, he could see her shoulders tense. She didn’t turn back around once she finished putting the dishes away and silence reigned over the kitchen, heavy with all the things left unsaid between them.  


Phillip pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to think of how to explain things to her. He was trying — God knows he was trying — but she was so close and so beautiful and it felt just as wonderful as the first time he had fallen in love with her. It was agony keeping himself away, but all he could hear was Tracey’s advice about building a solid foundation.  


Rey couldn’t trust him if she didn’t know him. And he wanted her trust. He wanted her trust nearly as much as he wanted her love. He had to do this the right way. No more taking the easy way out. No more short-cuts. No more fucking things up. This was Rey and she was all that mattered.  


“Hey,” he grabbed her hands, forcing her to gaze up at him. “Rey, that’s not...” he sighed., trailing off as he got his thoughts together. “I don’t want to lose you again. I can’t. What I said before... what I meant to say was I want to try again...try us again, but I don’t want it to be like before. I want it to be better. I want to take things slow and see what happens. If you...if you’ll let me.”

 

“Phillip,” Rey’s eyes fell to where their hands were together. “I don’t know.” The indecision in her voice was palpable. He could hear her fear, felt the concern in the way she trembled ever so slightly. “What happened last time…,” she sighed as she trailed off. “I can’t go through that again.”

 

“You won’t,” Phillip vowed.

 

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” Rey said, lifting her gaze to his face.

 

“I’m not. I know everyone thinks I’m still the same idiot I was back then, but I’m not. I’ve changed,” he insisted. “I want to be there for you. I want to be with you. Please give me a chance to do that.”  


Her face morphed into a brilliant grin, cheeks dimpling and eyes twinkling. There was his girl, his lovely angelic girl.  


“Ok,” she answered then, pausing for a moment, she added, calmer, “Let’s take things slow.”  


Phillip couldn’t help the smirk which appeared. “So is it too fast if I kiss you again?”  


* * *

  
  
Back on Cloud Nine, Phillip forgot about his distaste for the musical film Maple was entranced by. He took a seat on the couch next to Rey, while Maple sat on the floor propped up against it by their feet. She was too focused on the TV screen to notice her aunt and uncle holding hands behind her.  


Phillip and Rey agreed to take things slow, which meant not mentioning their budding relationship to their niece. Things were still complicated — he had a lot to talk to Rey about, plus he needed to survive whatever retribution Penny had planned — so there was no use in confusing Maple.  


Despite his impending screaming match with his future sister-in-law, Phillip hadn’t felt so content in years. Having Rey’s hand in his was comforting, a quiet promise of things to come.  


While Maple watched the narrative of dancing, singing brightly colored creatures on the screen, Phillip watched Rey. Her eyes were on Maple, only flickering to the screen every once in a while. He squeezed her hand, stealing her attention away. She glanced over, a pretty blush descending on her cheeks.  


Phillip ran his thumb over the top of her hand, caressing the smooth skin gently. Rey didn’t look away from him, their eyes locked as he flipped her hand over to rub circles in her palm. It was the most intimate contact he'd had in a long time and it certainly met Tracey’s standard for meaningful. If Rey’s dilated eyes and growing flush were any indication, it meant something to her too.  


“Aunt Rey?”  


No!  


Rey snatched her hand from his just as Maple climbed up into the couch to sit between them.  


“Yes, star pilot?” Rey responded, though if Phillip wasn’t mistaken, she sounded slightly out of breath.  


“Can you braid my hair?”  


Rey smiled at the little girl. “Sure, Maple Syrup. Why don’t you grab your hair brush and a band? I’ll do that French braid you like so much.”  


“Ok!” Phillip’s niece cheered happily, as she rushed off to the bathroom. 

  
He heard her banging around in the drawers before she reappeared with a pink brush and a lime green hair band.  


Rey repositioned them so she was propped against the arm of the couch, her body sideways to the TV. Maple perched in her lap, wiggling about in anticipation.  


“This is her favorite,” Rey told him, as she started to brush through Maple’s brown locks.  


“Can I do your hair, Uncle Phillip?” Maple asked, holding up another brush he hadn’t noticed before.  


“Uh...”  


Phillip was very proud of his hair. It was one of his best features and he made sure to take care of it by conditioning on a regular basis and only using the best products. So the idea of his four year old niece taking a child’s brush through his tresses didn’t sound appealing.  


Until he saw Rey’s expectant face, which mirrored Maple’s.  


“Sure, kid,” Phillip heard himself consent, laying down so Maple could reach him from her perch. He had to tuck his legs in the small space between his torso and the opposite couch arm, but the approving smile Rey was sending his way made it worth it.  


And if Maple yanked a bit too hard or brushed his forehead instead of his hair a few times, it wasn’t quite as terrible as he anticipated. Especially when the activity lulled his niece to sleep just in time for her normal bedtime.  


Rey moved to pick the child up and carry her to bed. Phillip stopped her. “I’ve got it,” he assured her. “Just sit there and relax. Maybe find something for us to watch that doesn’t involve pop music and so much glitter.”  


She laughed and nodded, while he scooped up Maple.  


His niece’s room was decorated in light shades of pink and cream, not overly girly, but far more feminine than Wendy had ever been. Phillip supposed growing up with three brothers made his sister a bit rough around the edges. Then again, he had always looked up to her. He wondered if some day his kids would look up to him in such a way.  


Shaking the thought from his head, he placed Maple gently down on her bed, covering her up with a pink blanket before turning off the lights and closing the door. He left it open halfway, just in case.  


Rey mentioned there were times when Maple would wake up looking for her parents, so it was best to leave the door ajar.  


When Phillip returned to the living room, Rey was waiting for him with a smile on her face. She patted the seat next to her on the couch and he moved toward her as of drawn by an invisible tether.  


He took the spot next to her, immediately dropping an arm around her to pull her to his side. She fit there, tucked up against him, just as she had when they were younger. They may have grown up apart, but they hadn’t grown apart. It was as if their bodies knew they were meant to be together.  


“Hey,” he grinned at her.  


“Hey yourself,” she smiled sweetly back. “Maple ok?”  


“She’s out,” he confirmed.  


“So...what do you want to watch?”  


Neither moved for the remote, the Netflix queue rolling mutedly before them. Phillip had no interest in watching anything other than the woman next to him.  


He reached out tentatively, still unsure how slow was too slow and how fast was too fast. Phillip had been honest when he had told Rey he didn’t want to ruin this. If she wanted to go slow, he’d go slow. If she wanted to discuss this with her friends and his family in their own time, he’d honor her wishes. He’d do whatever, just as long as she would be his.  


She hummed when his fingers brushed across her cheek as he tucked an errand strand of hair back. Her eyes fluttered closed and he swallowed.  


His body was on fire, all his clothes felt too constricting and he was acutely aware of how dry his mouth had become. It had been years since he reacted so strongly to anyone. Truth be told, he wasn’t sure if he had _ever_ reacted this intensely before merely from touching someone’s face.  


But this wasn’t someone. This was Rey.  


As if reading his mind, she leaned into his touch. Phillip ducked his head down, running his lips over hers. Rey shivered, her hands coming up to his biceps. He dropped his hold to her waist, feeling as though he had gone back in time to when they made out on his parents’ couch.  


If only he hadn’t been so stupid, he could have spent the last several years doing this every Sunday night instead of the other bullshit he had gotten himself into.  


“Rey,” he breathed, pulling back slightly.  


“Yeah?”  


“We should talk about this,” Phillip reminded her. He could barely believe he had the restraint required for such a task.  


There was a pause for a moment, before he sat back, nodding. “Alright, let’s talk.”  


Phillip wasn’t sure where to start, so he went back to the beginning, all the way back to the night of the party. He told Rey how scared he was that he would never be enough for her and how he had let his fears get the best of him when he heard she had been in Charlie’s room and saw her holding his hand.  


His subsequent outburst was born of his anger at himself and his increased fear of losing her. By the time he came to his senses, she was gone, already back in England and not knowing how to reach her.  


He explained how he felt back then — how he still felt at times now — like he wasn’t good enough for his family. The way they always judged him, the way they all waited around to see what crazy thing he did next or how he would mess up put a lot of pressure on his shoulders, and how he tried to escape by going away to college in Washington, DC.  


Phillip told her about the parties and how he had blacked out drunk more times than he could count. He admitted to sleeping around, searching for a way to numb the pain, needing a way to forget about how her face had crumbled when she walked into Charlie’s kitchen.  


Eventually he got to the part where he had been told to get help from a counselor, which led him to Tracey. Phillip shared how their relationship had changed him, especially after Mort’s death, the most critical part of it being the fact she left him.  


“It was the first time anyone walked out on me since you and suddenly everything I had been suppressing came back,” he told her. “It was the wake up call I needed.”  


He didn’t mention the numerous trysts with Chelsea or how it was the final straw in his relationship with Tracey. He was not ready to disclose that particular sin just yet. From the expression Rey already wore, he understood the magnitude of what he was saying and how it was affecting her.  


As he spoke, Rey listened, never interrupting him or stopping to pose a question. He poured it all out, as if he was purging a poison from his body. Maybe in some ways, he was.  


“I still see Tracey once a week,” he concluded, watching Rey’s eyebrows jump. “As my therapist,” he clarified. “I had to grovel to get her to take me back as a patient.”  


Rey bit her lip, looking as though she wanted to respond, but she kept her comment to herself, merely nodding.  


“I called her the day after the engagement party,” Phillip informed her. “I told her about you and about how important you are to me.”  


“You did?” Rey’s eyes were wide and it was the first time she uttered a word in — damn, had he been spewing his tale for the past hour?  


“I did,” he replied, taking her hand in his.  


Rey glanced down at where they were joined, her eyes flickering up to his face after a moment.  


“Penny isn’t going to like this,” she breathed, appearing conflicted.  


“She told me I couldn’t be in the wedding unless I promised to stay away from you,” he chuckled in agreement.  


“What?!” Rey snatched her hand away as she drew back.  


Phillip cursed inwardly. He probably wasn’t meant to tell her that. “What I mean is-.”  


“She gave you an ultimatum to be Judd’s best man?”  


_Uh oh._ _  
_

He recognized the fire in her eyes. Rey’s calm demeanor disappeared as she came to terms with the fact her best friend made demands of him. Phillip struggled between feeling guilty for disclosing the knowledge and being incredibly turned on by Rey’s reaction.  


He opted for something in between.  


“Sweetheart,” he cupped her chin. “She was trying to protect you and she had every reason to think the worst of me.”  


“But-.”  


Phillip kissed her, silencing Rey’s stubbornness before she got too worked up. Even though the act was slightly self-serving, it worked. Rey relaxed beside him, the furious tension dissipating.  


Her hands slid up his arms to his shoulders and he cradled her head and held onto her back as he laid her down beneath him.  


He was so engrossed with kissing her and his hand, which had begun to work it’s way under the back of her top, he missed the sound of little feet on the hardwood.  


“Uncle Phillip? Aunt Rey?”  


The two adults jerked away from one another, Phillip sitting up rim-rod straight at the sound of his niece’s voice. Maple was rubbing the sleep from her eyes, blissfully unaware of the compromising situation she walked into.  


“Maple,” Rey’s voice cracked as she answered the child. “What are you doing up, Star pilot?”  


“I can’t sleep in bed. There’s a monster underneath. Can I sleep in the fort with you and Uncle Phillip to be safe?”  


The smile which broke through Rey’s uneasy expression erased Phillip’s frustration at having being interrupted yet again.  


“Sure, Maple Syrup. We’ll protect you.”  


* * *

  
  
“Hey buddy,” a voice called to him.  


Phillip roused, blinking several times as the face of his brother came into focus. “Judd?”  


“Hey man,” his brother grinned. “Rough night?” His eyes flickered past Phillip to where Rey laid next to him.  


He realized his body was curled around hers, one arm draped over her waist, while she mirrored his position around Maple. They were like a tiered spooning session, all huddled together under their fort in the living room.  


“Um,” Phillip didn’t know how to respond.  


Judd smiled. “Why don’t you wake up Rey so you guys can head home? I’ve got this one,” he pointed to Maple.  


Phillip merely nodded, mutely, watching as Judd scooped up his daughter with practiced ease. For a split second, Phillip had a flash of himself in Judd’s shoes, putting his own daughter to bed, only in Phillip’s version his daughter had his dark hair and Rey’s smattering of freckles.

 

The moment passed and he shook off the sentiment, instantly recognizing how dangerous such a thought was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come say hi on tumbler [@wewantreylo](https://wewantreylo.tumblr.com/)
> 
> I love reading all your theories about what you think will happen!


	10. Taking Things Slow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She snuggled deeper into the cocoon of warmth she was surrounded in, ignoring the deep voice calling to her. Here in the dark, wrapped in heat and comfort she was safe. There was nothing to worry about and she felt no fear. It was peaceful.
> 
> “Rey, sweetheart, wake up.”
> 
> Leave it to Phillip Altman to disturb that peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my beta, [@GreyForceUser](https://greyforceuser.tumblr.com/) whose support always keeps me going!

****

  
  


_ Rey. _

  
  


_ Rey. _

  
  


She snuggled deeper into the cocoon of warmth she was surrounded in, ignoring the deep voice calling to her. Here in the dark, wrapped in heat and comfort she was safe. There was nothing to worry about and she felt no fear. It was peaceful.

  
  


“Rey, sweetheart, wake up.”

  
  


Leave it to Phillip Altman to disturb that peace.

  
  


Opening one eye, Rey glanced up at the man who was attempting to rouse her. As he came into focus, so did the room she currently resided in. Rey sat up abruptly, realizing she had fallen asleep while watching her niece.

  
  


“Maple?”

  
  


“Judd is putting her to bed,” Phillip told her. “She’s fine.”

  
  


Sighing with relief, Rey took a moment to look at where she had fallen asleep. The last thing she remembered was Maple being scared about a monster under her bed. Then Phillip suggested they all hide in the fort. Not too long after, Maple fell asleep while Rey and Phillip laid quietly next to her next to her.

  
  


Listening to Maple's soft breathing, she thought about what it was she and Phillip were doing. The logical part of her insisted it was a bad idea. Phillip was trouble; he had admitted it himself. Yet she couldn’t deny she was inexorably drawn to him. 

  
  


It went beyond the physical. Yes, he had grown into a handsome man, built like a Roman statue. But when Rey looked at him she saw more than his chiseled features; she saw home. 

  
  


Before reconnecting with her grandfather when she went back to England, before she rekindled her friendship with Hux, before college and all her crazy friends, there had been Phillip. 

  
  


Who was now staring at her with a goofy grin on his face. 

  
  


Rey blushed, realizing she had fallen asleep with him...in Penny’s living room. Ugh...so much for keeping things quiet while they took it slow.

  
  


Phillip continued to stare at her, or more accurately at her lips, while she failed to form a coherent thought. They were taking things slow so she needed to lessen her expectations, though it seemed pretty clear from the way Phillip was studying her what  _ his  _ expectations were. 

  
  


“Hello,” Judd appeared in the doorway, grinning in his typical way, as he took in the state of Rey waking up and Phillip kneeling over her. “Did the the kids give you any trouble?”

  
  


“Kids?” Rey asked.

  
  


“Yeah, Maple and Phillip,” Judd teased good-naturedly.

  
  


“Haha, very funny,” Phillip grumbled. 

  
  


Rey laughed, thankful to Judd for cutting the tension. 

  
  


“You know what’s  _ not  _ funny?” Penny appeared aside of her fiancée. “The fact I remember specifically telling you to keep away from my best friend,” she glowered at Phillip. 

  
  


“I didn’t-.”

  
  


“Penny,” Rey cut Phillip off as she stood up. “It’s late. I’ll catch up with you tomorrow, ok?” 

  
  


Her friend blinked, taken aback by the force of her tone. Judd merely grinned, as Rey took Phillip’s hand in hers.

  
  


“Alright,” Penny agreed reluctantly. “How about I swing by tomorrow and we can grab lunch?”

  
  


“See you then,” Rey smiled, giving her best friend a one armed hug before bidding her and her fiancée a goodnight. 

  
  


Once they were in her car and out of earshot of Penny, Phillip visibly relaxed. He chuckled softly. “That was pretty amazing,” he told her.

  
  


“What was?” Rey asked, as she pulled away from the curb.

  
  


“I’ve never seen Penny back down from  _ anything _ . She’s like a bulldog. Once she gets her teeth into something, she doesn’t let go.”

  
  


Rey shrugged. “Being an only child, she didn’t get reprimanded much. At least not as often as you,” she cast him a knowing smirk. “But she’s always been protective of me, like the sister I never had. I think it’s gotten worse since she moved in with Judd, like she afraid she’s abandoning me.”

  
  


Phillip started to say something, then stopped. He shook his head and gazed out the passenger window. 

  
  


The silence wasn’t heavy or uncomfortable as Rey drove him home. It gave her time to think on where she stood with Phillip. Taking things slow was what they agreed upon but what did that mean? 

  
  


Rey only had one serious relationship before and it was with the man sitting next to her. Any other relationships she had in the past consisted of a date or two before she decided something was wrong with them and ended things. 

  
  


One guy wrote her a song about how he had fallen in love with her the second time they went out; too clingy. One guy tried to get into her pants after their first date;too forward. One guy freaked out when Beebe made an appearance, even though he claimed to like dogs; liar. Each guy was a mini disaster in their own way. 

  
  


And the ultimate disaster? Her high school crush who was currently occupying her passenger seat and her heart. 

  
  


Yet here she was, agreeing to start over, try again. Rey knew it was fast. They had only been back in one another’s lives for a month, but then again, wasn’t that slow by today’s standards? Especially given the fact they had known each other for years. 

  
  


She worried on her lip, thinking back on the last few weeks. Phillip had never pressured her, never made her feel uncomfortable or lied to her (that she knew of). He was already leaps and bounds ahead of the men she had dated since becoming an adult. Perhaps he  _ had  _ changed. 

  
  


“I can practically hear you thinking over there,” he teased, reaching over the fear shift to place his hand on her thigh. “Wanna share with the class?”

  
  


Rey blushed. Thankfully it was too dark for him to notice. At least she hoped. “I’m wondering what taking things slow looks like,” she admitted. “I don’t have a lot of experience with it.”

  
  


Phillip openly stared at her, misunderstanding her meaning. Rey laughed. “I mean dating, Altman. I don’t have a lot of experience dating in general.”

  
  


He relaxed back into his seat, as she continued to laugh quietly to herself. Phillip may have grown older and more muscular but at his core he was the same insecure lost boy searching for belonging. 

  
  


“Well,” he started after a brief pause, “we always did things our own way. Why don’t you tell me what you’re ok with and we will go from there?”

  
  


That was simple. Rey could do simple. 

  
  


“Alright,” she tried to think of what made sense going forward. “Let’s keep our usual Sundays.” He nodded. “But maybe I could swing by the store on my way home from school on Tuesday’s or Thursday’s and see you then? It’s on my way home.”

  
  


“How about Tuesday’s and Thursday’s?” he countered. 

  
  


“Getting greedy, aren’t you Altman?” 

  
  


“I just want to see my girl.”

  
  


“Fine. Tuesday’s and Thursday’s. I’ll be the one parked outside your house.” 

  
  


“Awww, are you gonna pick me up, Kenobi? Like a date?” he teased.  

  
  


Rey rolled her eyes. “Fine, I won’t.”

  
  


“No, no,” Phillip squeezed her thigh. “I want you to pick me up. I want to see you more.”

  
  


“Doesn’t sound like it,” she shot back in fake annoyance. “Maybe I’ll just pick up Horry and leave you to walk home alone.”

  
  


Phillip leaned over, kissing her neck. “Sweetheart, I’m sorry,” he apologized, carefully trailing a line down her arm to her hand. He lifted it gingerly off the gear shift and kissed each knuckle. “I’d love for you to stop by and take me home.” 

  
  


She pretended she was thinking it over while he awaited her answer. It was comical how sudden the change was in his body language. He tensed the longer she remained in silence.. Knowing she affected him so strongly made Rey feel powerful    
  


Maybe she wasn’t the only one who had suffered a broken heart all those years ago. 

  
  


“Rey, please tell me you know I was joking,” Phillip implored, his voice wavering as he spoke. He looked positively desperate, as he ran a hand through his hair, eyes looking all around as if there was something he could do to fix the situation. “I-.”

  
  


Unable to hold it back any longer, Rey burst out laughing. 

  
  


“Seriously?” he huffed, but his lips were curling up into a smile. “You’re a pain in the ass, Kenobi.”

  
  


“Right back at ya, Altman.”

  
  


* * *

 

When she dropped him off, Phillip promised to call her today, even if it was just for five minutes to see how her day was going. Rey smiled the entire drive home. Rose was still up when she walked into the apartment and immediately pounced on her when she caught the grin plastered on Rey’s face. 

  
  


“So you two are together?” Rose clarified after Rey brought her roommate up to speed. 

  
  


“Yeah,” Rey beamed. “But we’re taking it slow.”

  
  


“Right,” Rose drawled. “Sure you are.” With that, she gave Rey a wink and went to bed. 

  
  


Rey had trouble falling asleep without the comfort of a warm body pressed against her. The way he had curled around her felt protective and endearing at the same time. She pushed her extra pillows up around her body, effectively cocooning herself in and eventually fell asleep to the vision of his wide goofy grin. 

  
  


It was only a few hours later when her alarm clock announced the new day. Monday felt more mundane than usual, as Rey went about her typical routine. After her whirlwind night with Phillip, being without his constant attention felt strange. Still, she managed to get showered, dressed and make a pot of coffee before Rose emerged from her bedroom. 

  
  


“How is it that you were out getting sexed up all night and I’m the one who has to hit the snooze button five times to even feel human?” Her friend asked, as Rey handed her a mug of the steaming beverage 

  
  


“Ok, one, I wasn’t getting sexed up. We were babysitting Maple,” Rey corrected her. “And two, you were up just as late as me.”

  
  


“Yeah, yeah,” Rose waved a hand at her. “Wanna meet up for lunch? My last class ends at one today.”

  
  


“Can’t,” Rey replied. “Penny and I are meeting up.”

  
  


“Oh?” Rose cocked an eyebrow. 

  
  


Rey made a face and explained what happened before and after watching Maple, including Phillip’s confession about Penny’s terms and conditions for him being best man. 

  
  


“Wow,” Rose let out a shaky laugh. “She really doesn’t like him, does she?”

  
  


“Nope,” Rey shook her head. 

  
  


“But you do,” Rose smiled knowingly. 

  
  


“I do,” Rey admitted, feeling her cheeks burn. 

  
  


“That’s good, Rey,” Rose said encouragingly. “I think he’s the one for you.”

  
  


Rey stared at her friend surprised by her statement. “Y-you do?”

  
  


“Yeah,” Rose moved past her roommate to grab a bagel. “I mean you’ve never had luck in the past, but I think you didn’t want to.”

  
  


“What’s that supposed to mean?”

  
  


Rose shot her a pointed look, as she pushed the bagel down in the toaster. “Rey, no one was  _ ever  _ good enough. I’m sure they all had their issues. But you had this idea in your head about what you wanted and what you wanted was Phillip. No one was ever going to measure up to that. And now, you have him.”

  
  


Rey mused over Rose’s words the rest of the morning. While she worked in her office at Skywalker Industries, her focus was not solely on the latest prototype she was helping develop. It was on the validity of her roommate’s statement. 

  
  


Was Rose right? Had she convinced herself no one was worth the risk because she had already closed herself off waiting for Phillip? 

  
  


The question plagued her all morning. It wasn’t until her Outlook calendar chimed it’s fifteen minute reminder that she realized it was nearly noon. Penny would be arriving soon. Rey needed to clear her mind for the conversation they were about to have. 

  
  


* * *

 

 

They went to a small cafe a couple blocks from Skywalker Industries, called Mos Eisley Cantina. It was a great little place to grab a bite for lunch, but at night  was the prime hotspot for happy hour. 

  
  


Choosing a table by the window, Rey and Penny settled in as a waiter came to take their drink order. 

  
  


“Thanks again for yesterday,” her friend kicked off the conversation. 

  
  


“Of course,” Rey smiled. “I’m always willing to watch Maple. You know that. By the way, how was the place?”

  
  


“Perfect,” Penny practically glowed as she explained the set-up to Rey and how she and Judd put down a deposit. “All the bridal party and immediate family will get rooms to stay over for the weekend.”

  
  


“That’s a nice perk,” Rey commented.

  
  


“It is. So anyway, enough about me. How is work?” Penny asked.

  
  


“Good, a bit slower now that it’s the summer,” Rey admitted. 

  
  


The waiter returned with their drinks and took their lunch order before leaving them once more. 

  
  


“About Phillip,” Rey started. “I know how you feel about him, but-.”

  
  


Penny held up a hand. “No, let me go first,” she insisted. “After the party you were so lost. It hurt to see you like that. I know we were all — like what? Fifteen? Sixteen? — young. I  _ know  _ we were all really young, but...I won’t ever forget how you looked then. It was like all the light and life was sucked out of you. And I blamed Phillip.”

  
  


“I know you did,” Rey replied softly. 

  
  


“I never really forgave him for that, which was why I was so concerned about how being in the wedding would affect  _ you _ . I didn’t ever stop to think how it would affect  _ him _ ,” Penny admitted. 

  
  


Rey stared at her friend quizzically. 

  
  


“I never considered the fact his behavior got worse because you were gone; that he was miserable because of it,” Penny continued. “I always thought he was just a train wreck and that was that.”

  
  


“Phillip isn’t who he seems to be on the surface,” Rey asserted. “He’s never felt like he was enough for anyone and after years of seeing Paul and Judd — hell, even Wendy — succeed, it took its toll on him. All his bravado and attitude, it’s just a facade.” 

  
  


“That’s what Judd said to,” Penny nodded. 

  
  


The waiter dropped off their food and for a few moments they ate in silence. Rey was impressed by how calm Penny acted. She had anticipated a very moody, overly protective Mama Bear to show up for lunch. 

  
  


“I thought you’d be mad I hadn’t told you we were trying out being friends again,” Rey broke the silence first. 

  
  


“I was at first,” Penny confessed. “But I understand.”

  
  


“I didn’t want you to get upset over something that may not turn into anything,” Rey told her. “You have so much going on with the wedding and Maple. I didn’t want to add any more stress.”

  
  


Penny nodded, her eyes on the table as she digested Rey’s words. After a pause in their conversation, she reached into her purse, pulling out her cellphone. “Judd showed me this at breakfast,” she told Rey before sliding the phone across to her. There was an image on the screen.

  
  


Rey picked up the phone, staring at the picture of her sandwiched between Maple and Phillip. All of them were sound asleep on the floor of the fort, cuddled around each other. To anyone outside of the conversation, it would appear they were a family. The thought tugged at Rey’s heart strings. 

  
  


“The Phillip I know never made time for Maple. He certainly didn’t participate in tickle fights, make her grilled cheese and build her a fort. And he absolutely would not condescend to watch “Trolls” with her,” Penny enlightened.

  
  


Their waiter returned, interrupting Penny. They split the check and waited until he left to resume their conversation. 

  
  


“Maple asked me this morning when Uncle Phillip and Aunt Rey we’re coming over again,” Penny told her. “She actually called me ‘Mom’,” Penny choked a bit on the word, her eyes filling up with tears. 

  
  


As much as she loved Judd and Maple, Penny never pushed Judd to give her a name, in terms of what she was to Maple. Rey knew Penny wanted children, but shared custody of Maple was a full-time job in and of itself so the idea of expanding their family hadn’t ever been a priority. Rey understood how moved her friend was over Maple's use of the revered title. 

  
  


“You are just as much as mother to her as Quinn,” Rey assured Penny. “You’ve been there since the day she was born. No matter what she calls you, you are her mother too.”

  
  


Penny nodded, frantically brushing away her tears before the waiter returned. 

  
  


“That's not the point,” Penny cleared her throat. “Maple has  _ never  _ asked about Phillip before. And Phillip has never waited a month to make a move. I mean, has he even kissed you?”

  
  


Rey’s blush answered for her.

  
  


“Ok, but anything beyond that?”

  
  


“No,” Rey shook her head. “Last night was the first time we kissed and the first time we talked about anything beyond being friends.”

  
  


“Right,” Penny said. “Exactly. That is  _ not  _ how I've seen him do things in the past. But even I can see he’s changing, because of you.”

  
  


Rey handed the phone back to her friend. Penny sighed. “Rey, no one is more surprised than me, but I think you’re good for Phillip and,” she hesitated for a moment, “I think he’s good for you.”

  
  


This was not the conversation Rey had expected. At all. She gawked at Penny, unsure how to reply. Had Rose said something to her? 

  
  


“You seem happy,” Penny elaborated, “and not in the usual, hi-I’m-Rey-a-literal-ray-of-sunshine kind of way.” 

  
  


Rey laughed. “Seriously?”

  
  


Penny laughed with her. “Seriously,” she reached across the table to hold her friend’s hand. “I know I said some negative things and regardless of how he’s acting, I will never believe he’s good enough for you, but he is good for you. And you’re good for him, too.”

  
  


“So does this mean your terms and conditions no longer apply?” Rey smirked.

  
  


Penny groaned. “He told you about that?”

  
  


“Oh yeah,” Rey grinned.

  
  


“Forget what I said earlier,” Penny grumbled. “I still hate him.”

  
  


Rey laughed, as they left the restaurant. “No backsies.”

  
  


* * *

 

 

After work, as Rey was driving home her cell rang. She clicked the Bluetooth option, her radio silencing as the call connected through her sound system. 

  
  


“Rey Kenobi.”

  
  


“Phillip Altman,” a familIar smug voice answered back.

  
  


“Hi,” she greeted him, grinning ear to ear. “Sorry, I thought you might be someone from work.”

  
  


“Don’t you have caller ID?”

  
  


“I’m driving.”

  
  


“Home?”

  
  


“Yeah,” she replied. “How was your day?”

  
  


“Eh, typical bullshit with Paul,” Phillip grumbled. “Nothing new. How about you? How was your lunch with Penny?”

  
  


“Oh,” Rey giggled, “I get it now. This isn’t a social call, this is recon.”

  
  


“Self-preservation,” Phillip insisted. “I just need to know if I need a Kevlar vest for July Fourth or if a bulletproof car would be a better investment.” 

  
  


“Hmmm, considering you can’t afford either, I think you’re out of luck, Altman,” she pointed out.

  
  


“Ah, well, guess that means you’ll be walking by yourself in this wedding then,” he shot back.

  
  


“Probably better that way,” Rey teased.

  
  


“Probably,” Phillip agreed with a chuckle. “So what are you up to tonight?”

  
  


“Just staying in.”

  
  


“Yeah?”

  
  


“Yeah,” Rey confirmed. 

  
  


“Would you like some company?” he asked. 

  
  


Rey was about to ask what he meant when she pulled into her apartment complex to find Phillip Altman sitting on the front stoop with a bouquet of flowers in one hand and his cell in the other. 

  
  


She tried to school her expression but it was impossible when he looked so good sitting there, waiting for her. He stood as she approached, tucking his phone away. 

  
  


“Hey,” he smirked. “Surprise.”

  
  


“Taking things slow, huh?” Rey laughed, accepting the flowers he had bought her. 

  
  


“I realized I needed to ask you properly,” Phillip responded. He got down on his knee and Rey felt her heart stutter. What was he doing? 

  
  


“Rey Kenobi,” he said with a huge grin on his face. “Will you be my girlfriend?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come say hi on tumbler [@wewantreylo](https://wewantreylo.tumblr.com/)

**Author's Note:**

> I apologize for any typos. I don't have a beta for this yet and I wanted to get it up for Reylo AU Week's Crossover Theme.


End file.
